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Our research
A fundamental understanding of tree responses to environmental cues is necessary to address climate change impacts. Forests critically influence the Earth's climate and cycle large quantities of carbon and water, yet trees are increasingly at risk through an amplification of extreme climatic events.
We address tree and forest resilience to climate change and extreme climatic events, in particular heat and drought stress. Our research provides process knowledge to predict and guide the potential of forests in mitigating climate change. We combine controlled experiments, observational studies and ecosystem modelling approaches. We teach undergraduate and graduate students in process-based ecological research, as well as provide knowledge transfer into schools and society.
Our team member Pia was awarded for her dissertation with the Sparkassen-Environment-Prize 2024. Her PhD develops and refines remote sensing and deep learning methods to better identify and map surface fuels in Central European forests and heathlands, addressing the growing fire risk from climate change. The study improves fire behavior predictions by capturing spatial variability, seasonal dynamics, and vegetation recovery, supporting more effective fire management in vulnerable ecosystems.
Congratulations, Pia!
Yanick's Paper in Tree Physiology: “Capturing drought stress signals: the potential of dendrometers for monitoring tree water status,” has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Best Graduate Research Prize. This annual award recognizes the most impactful graduate-led research published in Tree Physiology. Congratulations!
February, 2025: Marielle defended her PhD thesis on "Effects of drought and elevated CO2 on growth and mortality of pine trees” with great success. Congratulations!
Forests ecosystems are critical for climate regulation, land biodiversity, for providing fresh water, timber and non-timber products, and also for human well-being and security.
What we do - simply explained
Our mission is to facilitate collaboration between scientists to combine expertise, knowledge and data...
Network for scientists