Research interests
I am interested in the response of forest ecosystems to global change drivers, in how plants interact with soil and other species, and in promoting successful ecosystem restoration through active and passive measures
My research has strong practical implications for i) the establishment of forest management strategies for adaptation to climate change by improving our understanding on structural and functional responses of forest ecosystem to global change drivers at different spatial and temporal scales, and ii) to enhance the success of forest restoration and management measures in a context of changing environmental conditions. Increasing our knowledge in these topics would allow us to develop adaptive policies and management practices oriented to protect forest ecosystems, mitigate the effect of climate change, increase forest area, and guarantee the long-term provisioning of functions and services provided by forests.
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Research projects
ADAPTAMIX - ADAPTAtion of Mediterranean forests to climate change: the role of MIXed stands on promoting resilience to drought events
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PI: Enrique Andivia
Project funded by Spanish Research Agency for the period 2020-2024
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The ADAPTAMIX project aims to investigate whether tree diversity enhances the productivity and stability of Mediterranean forest ecosystems in response to drought events. For that, we use tree-ring chronologies to compare growth trends and growth resilience and resistance to drought events in mixed and monospecific forests (SO1). We also combine isotopic and nutrient analyses to determine physiological mechanisms underlying the diversity-productivity-stability relationship in forests (SO2 and SO3), and we conduct field experiments to evaluate plant-plant interactions under different scenarios of increased aridity (SO4). We hypothesized that admixture will improve tree responses to environmental stress, and that increased tree water use efficiency and nutritional status in mixed stands are the underlying mechanisms of the positive effect of tree diversity on plant responses to drought. ADAPTAMIX combine different research approaches to integrate fundamental and applied science, thereby producing new scientific insights as well as management-oriented outputs for the management of Mediterranean forests. Ultimately, we aim to provide knowledge and know-how to increase the resilience of Mediterranean forest to future global change conditions.
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PEN-CAFoRR - Pan-European Network for Climate Adaptive Forest Restoration and Reforestation
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PI: Vladan Ivetic (University of Belgrade)
Project funded by COST actions 2020-2024
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The PEN-CAFoRR Action aims to address key research questions for climate adaptive forest restoration and reforestation success: 1) setting the goals; 2) selecting the best forest reproductive material (FRM) regarding origin, composition, as well as genetic and biodiversity conservation; 3) determining the appropriate attributes and methods to produce targeted FRM of good quality and sufficient quantity to meet society demands; 4) applying the best available establishment techniques of pre-planting site preparation, seeding, and planting; and 5) developing of post-planting protection and silviculture until trees reach an autonomous stage to promote resilience and adaptation of new forests to future challenges.
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VERDAT - Vulnerability and Risk of Scots Pine ecosystems against Climate Change: design of an “Early warning” & Monitoring System
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PI: Miguel A. Zavala (Universidad de Alcalá)
Project funded by Spanish Network of National Parks 2022-2024
The VERDAT project aims to develop a diagnostic tool that allows evaluating the vulnerability of Scots pine ecosystems that can be used as a tool to support decision-making (e.g. adaptation measures) by integrating an "Probabilistic Risk Analysis" (PRA) and an "Early Warning and Monitoring System" that allows us to diagnose in advance the processes ofdecay and species substitution. The basis of the PRA are the models developed from data from different levels of organization -individual, stand and forest- and with different data sources -genetic adaptation, IFN, dendrochronology, historical inventories and remote sensing-, which allow defining the contour of "safe space" of the species from the exposure, previous impacts, structure and diversity. We will use the concept of vulnerability thresholds as an early warning indicator to retrospectively assess species´ "safe space" based on remote sensors trend and seasonality variables as well as dendrometric variables and auxiliary field data. These models have been validated with information from the entire range of the species, including areas currently in decline. The models will be used to carry out a Risk and Vulnerability Analysis of main Scots pine forests in PN Sierra Nevada, PN Sierra de Guadarrama and PN de Ordesa y Monte Perdido national parks to generate three products: i) A cartography layer of "Risk and Vulnerability"; ii) This information will be combined with other layers of information to form a "Decision Support System for Adaptation" and, iii) A "System of Early Warning and Monitoring Indicators". The Early Warning indicators will allow the manager a key period to assess the different options before a foreseeable Impact. The monitoring indicators through their periodic updating will allow to carry out a monitoring of the adaptation measures.
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