I am a biologist specialized in plant biology. My research focuses on the interactions of plants with their environment, specifically their acclimation and adaptation to climate change, and the role of vegetation for carbon sequestration in the ecosystem.
My research deals primarily with the intraspecific variation of plants, i.e. differences within the same species and their significance for adaptations to different geographical areas. The central concept I work with is phenotypic plasticity: an individual's ability to adjust biochemically, morphologically and physiologically to different environmental conditions.
Some key questions my research seeks to answer are: Which mechanisms shape variation within a species? Are these mechanisms different for endemic and cosmopolitan plant species? What role does phenotypic plasticity play in plants' adaptability to global change?
I also research how the vegetation in coastal and freshwater wetlands affects the function of these ecosystems. I am part of a comprehensive international collaboration that examines wetlands across the globe. Among other things, I investigate whether wetland plant biomass is suitable as building material or for bioenergy.
My research is an important link for climate change mitigation, as intact wetlands and vegetation with specific functional traits can act as nature-based solutions to increase carbon sequestration from the atmosphere.
