Team
Team leader Anna Lintunen
Adjunct professor (dosentti) in Tree Ecophysiology
I study the effect of climate and environmental conditions on boreal ecosystems, and how the ecosystems, in turn, affect climate considering the different land use and ecosystem managements. My special expertise is on tree ecophysiology, i.e. studying tree structure and function, and how they respond to changes in the environment.
ORCID: 0000-0002-1077-0784
More information in research database TUHAT
Post-doc Lauri Lindfors
Studies how changes in winter time and early spring temperatures and snow cover affect tree physiology.
Funding from the University 3 years research grant.
I study the effect of freezing and drought stress on trees. I am especially interested in studying tree diameter changes (in micrometer-scale) as a response to these stresses. In a current project, I study how changes in winter time and early spring temperatures and snow cover affect tree physiology.
More information in research database TUHAT
Postdoctoral researcher Beñat Olascoaga
I study ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration, provisioning of habitats and pollination) and biodiversity associated with urban greenspace at the boreal context. I am interested in enhancing the existing biodiversity and ecosystem service capacity of urban greenspace (e.g., urban forests, allotment gardens and amenity grasslands), as well as in the public attitude towards potential greenspace transformation
Post-doc Paulina Dukat
Studies tree functioning, both on the scale of individuals and the entire ecosystem, especially in the context of water and carbon exchange with the atmosphere.
Funding from the Research Council of Finland Academy Fellow project (ROBAST).
My research focus is especially on recognizing the response of trees to stressful conditions (prolonging lack or excess of water). Currently, I am working with the role of bark in tree stress responses, the functioning of trees in wetland ecosystems, and the ability of Scots pine and Silver birch to transport oxygen through the stem during periods of oxygen deficiency for roots. In my work, I try to combine various scientific methods and instruments that provide insight into a wide range of plant functioning. My expertise particularly concerns the measurement of sap flow, stem efflux, stem water potential and the processing and analysis of data from the Eddy covariance system regarding the exchange of main trace gases with the atmosphere.
PhD student Gonzalo de Quesada
I Study how tree physiology and tree-soil interactions change under different forest management treatments. In particular, I am interested in the effects of thinning on forest water and carbon balance.
Currently, I am collecting tree gas exchange, water potential, and soil moisture data, in addition to conducting a litter decomposition and root turnover experiment in two recently thinned forest stands with different soil conditions.
PhD supervisors Anna Lintunen, Yann Salmon and Jussi Heinonsalo.
PhD student Magdalena Held
I want to know, how trees can acclimate to drought and to gain new insight into tree hydraulic architecture. Therefore, I study xylem traits, especially pits, as well as phloem traits in trees grown on sites with different water availability. Also, I aim to understand better how structure and function are coupled and will combine hydraulic and anatomical measurements.
PhD supervisors Anna Lintunen and Tuula Jyske (Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke)
Technical Assistant Alessandro Zanetti
I assist studying how changing winter conditions affect the most common tree species in Finland. More specifically, we study the frost tolerance, winter embolism and phenology of Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch, and also European beech that is a potential species to immigrate to boreal region in the future.
PhD student Lukas Bornholdt
I study how different forest management options affect woody plant physiology, soil conditions, microbes, and their interactions in boreal forests. The aim is to draw conclusions on how different forest management options affect the resilience of boreal forests to climate change in order to ensure a sustainable forestry in the future.
PhD supervisors Anna Lintunen and Jussi Heinonsalo