Research Interests
Hi everyone!
My research interests broadly include the ecology of fire and the impacts on forests ecosystems, the ecology invasive plant species and their interactions with biotic & abiotic factors within the recently-invaded range, and the spatial modeling applied to human-disturbed ecosystems. I have studied the ecology of the invader Acacia dealbata (aromo, silver wattle) in south-central Chile, and how its spread into natural forests leads to a significant decrease in plant diversity.
Later on, I conducted my research on the invasion of annual grasses and their interactions with fire regimens and soil nutrients within arid ecosystems of the southwestern United States, in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. Specifically, I studied the impact of fire on the spatial distribution of the keystone perennial shrub Larrea tridentata (creosote bush), and how this phenomenon affects the availability & distribution of soil nutrients over time. In sum, burned areas presented a more evenly-distributed soil nutrient pattern, compared to unburned areas, suggesting a potential disappearance of the "fertility islands" created by Larrea shrubs.
More recently, I've studied the ecological impacts of severe wildfires on Araucaria-Nothofagus forests in the Andres of South-central Chile, with emphasis in identifying mechanism by which forests recover after fire. These include species-specific responses (i.e., resprout vs. germination) and plant-soil interactions (i.e., microbial activity and soil nutrient dynamics). All my research is conducted including a suite of different approaches, such as field experiments, observational studies and simulation & modeling tools.
Current Research Grants
1. Towards fire-resilient forest landscapes: assessment of plant flammability as a novel tool for forest management. PCS CENAMAD 2021-017 (2023-2024). Principal Investigator.
2. Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD). ANID Basal FB210015 (2021-2026). Principal Investigator in the area of Forest Sustainability, Conservation y and Restauration.
3. Understanding the connections between abiotic stress and forest vulnerability to fires. ANID Anillo ACT210052 (2021-2024). Co-investigator.
4. Plantaciones forestales, ¿desiertos verdes? Analizando la retención de biodiversidad en plantaciones de Eucalyptus spp. y Pinus radiata. DIUFRO DI22-0042 (2021-2024). Co-investigator
5. Diversidad de macrohongos silvestres de un remanente de bosque nativo y su potencial uso biotecnológico. DIUFRO DI22-0027 (2021-2024). Co-investigator.
6. Red Firewall: alianzas para la restauración y adaptación de ecosistemas naturales frente a incendios forestales y cambio global. ANID FOVI 220101 (2023-2024) . Principal Investigator.
Finished Projects
7. Post-fire resilience of Araucaria araucana ecosystems affected by high-severity forest fires. DIUFRO DI20-0066 (2020-2023). Principal Investigator.
8. Modelling mixed-species forests: accounting for ecological and climatic drivers in forest growth. FONDECYT Regular 1191816 (2019-2023). Co-investigator.
9. Strengthening the research of applied ecology in the field of fire ecology and biodiversity conservation. CONICYT-PAI 79170054 (2018-2021). Principal Investigator.
10. Evaluation of effective methods for controlling Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga mensiezii) in areas with different degrees of invasion in south-central Chile. Fondo de Investigación del Bosque Nativo FIBN 22/2018 (2018-2021). Co-investigator.
11. Effective management methods for the control of lodge-pole pine (Pinus contorta). Fondo de Investigación del Bosque Nativo FIBN 14/2018 (2018-2021). Co-investigator.
12. Using the forest fires of the China Muerta National Reserve as a natural laboratory for assessing their ecological impacts. FONDECYT 11150487 (2015-2018). Principal Investigator.
My research interests broadly include the ecology of fire and the impacts on forests ecosystems, the ecology invasive plant species and their interactions with biotic & abiotic factors within the recently-invaded range, and the spatial modeling applied to human-disturbed ecosystems. I have studied the ecology of the invader Acacia dealbata (aromo, silver wattle) in south-central Chile, and how its spread into natural forests leads to a significant decrease in plant diversity.
Later on, I conducted my research on the invasion of annual grasses and their interactions with fire regimens and soil nutrients within arid ecosystems of the southwestern United States, in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. Specifically, I studied the impact of fire on the spatial distribution of the keystone perennial shrub Larrea tridentata (creosote bush), and how this phenomenon affects the availability & distribution of soil nutrients over time. In sum, burned areas presented a more evenly-distributed soil nutrient pattern, compared to unburned areas, suggesting a potential disappearance of the "fertility islands" created by Larrea shrubs.
More recently, I've studied the ecological impacts of severe wildfires on Araucaria-Nothofagus forests in the Andres of South-central Chile, with emphasis in identifying mechanism by which forests recover after fire. These include species-specific responses (i.e., resprout vs. germination) and plant-soil interactions (i.e., microbial activity and soil nutrient dynamics). All my research is conducted including a suite of different approaches, such as field experiments, observational studies and simulation & modeling tools.
Current Research Grants
1. Towards fire-resilient forest landscapes: assessment of plant flammability as a novel tool for forest management. PCS CENAMAD 2021-017 (2023-2024). Principal Investigator.
2. Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD). ANID Basal FB210015 (2021-2026). Principal Investigator in the area of Forest Sustainability, Conservation y and Restauration.
3. Understanding the connections between abiotic stress and forest vulnerability to fires. ANID Anillo ACT210052 (2021-2024). Co-investigator.
4. Plantaciones forestales, ¿desiertos verdes? Analizando la retención de biodiversidad en plantaciones de Eucalyptus spp. y Pinus radiata. DIUFRO DI22-0042 (2021-2024). Co-investigator
5. Diversidad de macrohongos silvestres de un remanente de bosque nativo y su potencial uso biotecnológico. DIUFRO DI22-0027 (2021-2024). Co-investigator.
6. Red Firewall: alianzas para la restauración y adaptación de ecosistemas naturales frente a incendios forestales y cambio global. ANID FOVI 220101 (2023-2024) . Principal Investigator.
Finished Projects
7. Post-fire resilience of Araucaria araucana ecosystems affected by high-severity forest fires. DIUFRO DI20-0066 (2020-2023). Principal Investigator.
8. Modelling mixed-species forests: accounting for ecological and climatic drivers in forest growth. FONDECYT Regular 1191816 (2019-2023). Co-investigator.
9. Strengthening the research of applied ecology in the field of fire ecology and biodiversity conservation. CONICYT-PAI 79170054 (2018-2021). Principal Investigator.
10. Evaluation of effective methods for controlling Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga mensiezii) in areas with different degrees of invasion in south-central Chile. Fondo de Investigación del Bosque Nativo FIBN 22/2018 (2018-2021). Co-investigator.
11. Effective management methods for the control of lodge-pole pine (Pinus contorta). Fondo de Investigación del Bosque Nativo FIBN 14/2018 (2018-2021). Co-investigator.
12. Using the forest fires of the China Muerta National Reserve as a natural laboratory for assessing their ecological impacts. FONDECYT 11150487 (2015-2018). Principal Investigator.