Plant Ecology
The Department focuses on two inter-related lines of research:
VEGETATION-EROSION INTERACTIONS: We study vegetation-soil-erosion interactions at the plant, patch, slope and basin scales in semi-arid environments, especially oriented to conservation and restoration.
Patricio García-Fayos: plant colonization, plant reproductive ecology, masting, seed ecology, plant-soil relationships, ecology of semi-arid environments.
Ma. José Molina Donate: soil response to use and management in agroecosystems, application of spectroscopic techniques to plant-soil-erosion relationships.
Esther Bochet: water erosion, plant colonization, ecological restoration, roadslopes, plant functional types, root systems.
Meike Engelbrecht (PhD Student): seed and germination ecology, mucilage segregation in erosive environments, maternal effects, seed dispersal.
PLANT ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION IN DRY ECOSYSTEMS: We are interested in the ecological and evolutionary processes shaping plant species, populations, and communities in systems driven by drought and other stress factors. This includes studies on plant response to disturbance, species interactions, and the evolutionary consequences.
Patricio García-Fayos: plant colonization, plant reproductive ecology, masting, seed ecology, plant-soil relationships, ecology of semi-arid environments.
Miguel Verdú: community phylogenetics, facilitation, ecological genetics, plant reproductive biology.
Juli G. Pausas: fire ecology, regeneration ecology, plant functional traits, evolution of fire traits, post-fire regeneration, Mediterranean vegetation dynamics and modelling.
José Gabriel Segarra: reproductive biology, conservation genetics, phylogeny and phylogeography, population genetics, plant taxonomy and systematics
Giorgio Alessio (postdoc): flammability.
Maria Clara Castellanos (postdoc): ecology and evolution of plant-animal interactions, floral evolution, molecular reproductive ecology, tropical ecology.
Susana Paula (postdoc):post-fire regeneration strategies, plant functional syndromes, Mediterranean plant ecophysiology, climate-fire interactions.
Ana Hernández Serrano (PhD student): fire ecology in Mediterranean plants, pyrophytism, germination and resprouting.
Bruno Moreira (PhD student): fire ecology, Mediterranean vegetation, post-fire regeneration strategies, germination, resprouting.
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