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Functional Ecology of Forest Tree Species

Our research group in Functional Ecology of Forest Tree Species comprises researchers working in Ecophysiology, Dendroecology and Metabolomic. Our interdisciplinary group works towards understanding how forest tree functions, growth and dynamics respond to different ecological and environmental conditions. We particularly focus on responses to different causes and consequences of climate change such as intensification of droughts or increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Grupo de investigación dependiente del

​Centro de Investigación Forestal (CIFOR)

The research group in Functional Ecology of Forest Tree Species brings together researchers working on Ecophysiology, Dendroecology and Metabolomics. Within this interdisciplinary framework, our research focuses on better understanding forest tree responses and adaptations to environmental conditions. Our research includes mechanisms and processes of physiological and growth responses to stressful conditions evaluated on different genetic backgrounds from clones to multiple species, from the molecular to the individual response, and at different scales from trees to forest stands.  ​

We combine the study of functional and morphological traits with changes at the metabolic level on different organs to identify and understand the mechanisms that drive the tree responses to environmental factors: water, light and CO2. The study of functional traits with xylogenesis and tree-ring time series allows us to approach key aspects of tree performance after specific disturbances in the long term, or under extreme events (e.g. exceptional droughts). Furthermore, dendroecological studies across environmental gradients allow us to explore the long-term ecological dynamics for multiple species and ecosystems.

Functional Ecology of Forest Tree Species (FUNEFORT) is part of the Forest Research Center (CIFOR) at INIA (National Center within CSIC)

​Investigation

Our work focuses on two main research areas and different approaches to evaluate the response of forests to environmental conditions at different ontogenetic scales, and for a wide range of tree species. ​

Functional and metabolic basis of adaptation:

- Functional and metabolic response of forest tree species at different ontogenetic stages from juvenile to mature trees, and different genetic backgrounds: individuals, maternal families, populations and species.

- Assemblage of functional traits in response to environmental factors (e.g. water, light, CO2 etc…)

- Limitations and mechanistic basis of carbon uptake and stomatal control.

Forest dynamics and functional response to climate change:

- Modelling and assessment of regulation of functional processes in forest ecosystems: carbon, water and growth.

- Adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in response to climate change (from individuals to species).

- Xylogenesis and secondary growth response to environmental factors and disturbances.

- Modeling of carbon balance in forest stands.

- Forest decline and accelerated forest mortality under global change.

We approach these research lines using different methods and techniques. Gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence techniques are used customarily with the analysis of water relations and hydraulic characteristics of seedlings and trees. The study of different compounds from primary and secondary metabolism is carried out with gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. At the tree and stand level, tree growth trends and responses to specific events are evaluated from the tree to the macro-scale with different dendrochronological techniques (ring width, isotopes). These responses are analyzed at a more detailed scale using microscopic anatomical changes in growth ring components and xylogenesis analysis during the growing season (i.e. vessels, tracheid, fibers, parenchyma).

Miembros

Coordinador de Grupo

  • Laura Fernánadez de Uña
    Respuesta de Pinus sylvestris y Quercus spp. Sub-Mediterráneos al clima y a la competencia a diferentes escalas: implicaciones ante escenarios de cambio climático
    Dirección: Isabel Cañellas, Guillermo Gea-Izquierdo | Universidad de Alcalá de Henares
  • Marina De Miguel Vega
    Mapas genéticos de alta densidad de Pinus pinaster y análisis de QTLs que controlan respuesta a sequía
    Dirección: M.T Cervera, I. Aranda | Universidad de Alcalá de Henares

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