Alpine environments
Ever since I was a child, I have been attracted to alpine environments. Now I am lucky enough to work in them. My research focuses on the effects of climate change on these ecosystems.
1) Recruitment of alpine plants. Using a combination of manipulative field, lab and greenhouse experiments, I'm trying to answer questions like: How will early life-history stages of alpine plants respond to climate change and extreme climate-related events? How will a warmer and drier future climate affect seed development, seed germination strategies, and seedling establishment? How will bushfires or thaw/freeze cycles affect the soil seed bank?
2) Climate Change & Alpine vegetation. In 2012, as part of my master's thesis, I established several permanent monitoring plots in alpine and treeline vegetation on Cofre de Perote mountain (Mexico). Recurrent measurements of the structure, diversity and reproductive phenology of these plots will help determine how Mexico's sub-tropical alpine vegetation is coping with climate change.
