Climate and Plant Ecophysiology (CAPE)
Minerva Fast Track Group
Our group researches how plants function, respond to environmental change, and affect the environment around them. We aspire to inform global model development efforts (for example, the development of climate models), by proposing new process formulations grounded in theory and probed by field measurements, manipulation experiments, and large observational databases.
©M. Sabot | Interactions and cascading effects in the vegetation – rainfall system. Land desiccation triggered by a decreased inflow of atmospheric moisture reduces local evapotranspiration and, in turn, the resulting downwind atmospheric moisture transport, whilst also increasing local temperature and vapour pressure deficit (VPD).
We are especially interested in investigating how different species and ecosystems:
face ongoing changes in atmospheric aridity, temperature, and water availability.
allocate the resources they extract from their environment to grow more or less roots or leaves.
