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The current composition, structure, dynamics and biological diversity of the Mediterranean forests cannot be understood without considering the long history of uses and changes induced by human activities, which have contributed to shape the Mediterranean landscapes as we know them today. These land-use legacies have the potential to shape the capacity of forests to respond to the challenges of climate change. However, we are still far from fully understanding the role of land-use legacies on forest functioning.
Multifunctional forest management is key to contribute to climate change mitigation and, above all, to adapt our landscapes and forests to new climatic situations. The fundamental challenge of natural resource managers is thus to effectively manage complex ecological systems under increasing uncertainties and to anticipate global change impacts through the implementation of appropriate adaptive management strategies. Beyond obtaining timber and wood products, in many cases managing a forest can help prevent catastrophic fires or to increase the resistance and resilience of the forests face to longer periods of drought and more frequent disturbances. |
Main Research Lines
Forest dynamics, modeling, and multifunctional forest management
We aim to integrate forest management into a suite of models to evaluate how different silvicultural strategies could better mitigate the negative impacts associated with climate change, helping build multifunctional and resilient forests.
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Landscape ecology and historical sources
Through the assessment of the spatial patterns of land abandonment and forest expansion, we aim to gain insights on the underlying causes of land abandonment, and the implications for forest dynamics and biodiversity conservation.
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Remote sensing monitoring of forest ecosystems
New modeling techniques and the use of big data and new sources of information (LiDAR, remote sensing) offer a unique opportunity to perform global assessments of forest structure and gain insight into the functioning of forest ecosystems.
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Contact
Universitat de Lleida
Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeries Agràries Av. Rovira Roure 191 25198 Lleida, Spain Phone: +34 973 702539 |
Forest Sciences Center of Catalonia
Ctra. Sant Llorenç, km.2 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain Phone: +34 973 481752 (290) |
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