Project
My PhD project will aim at understanding the effect of climate change on various aspects of the life of a common toad (Bufo bufo) population in the Swiss Alps. This population, located on the Grosse Scheidegg, has been studied since the 1980s. This long-term dataset enables me therefore to analyze the effect of environmental changes on aspects such as individual body size and growth, phenology, and the mating system, with cascading consequences on the demography of this population. Aside from the scientific significance of this study, this project could also help directing management and conservation actions, as not much is known about how amphibians living in alpine environments react to climate change.
Aside from working on my project I enjoy birdwatching, sport (mainly watching it) and reading.
CV
- 2020 – present, PhD Student, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich
- 2016 – 2018, MSc Student, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich
- 2013 – 2016, BSc Student in Biology, University of Zurich
Publications
- Lenzi O., …, A. Ozgul, B. R. Schmidt (2024) Interplay of abiotic conditions, density, and body size in shaping demography in a high-elevation toad population Ecosphere ➤
- Lenzi O., …, A. Ozgul, B. R. Schmidt (2023) Four decades of phenology in an alpine amphibian: trends, stasis, and climatic drivers. Peer Community Journal ➤
- Reinke B., …, B. R. Schmidt, …, O. Lenzi, …, D. A. W. Miller (2022) Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity. Science ➤
- Cayuela H., …, B. R. Schmidt, …, O. Lenzi, …, D. A. W. Miller (2022) Sex-related differences in aging rate are associated with sex chromosome system in amphibians. Evolution ➤
- Cayuela H., …, B. R. Schmidt, …, O. Lenzi, …, D. S. Pilliod (2021) Thermal conditions predict intraspecific variation in senescence rate in frogs and toads. PNAS ➤