Ecology of Environmental Change - eChanges

Cristina Branquinho

Full Professor

Environmental changes ecology Semiarid ecology Climate change ecology Ecosystem-based approaches Ecological indicators development

I received a Ph.D. in Biology, Ecology from the University of Lisbon in 1997 and I am currently leading the Ecology of Environmental Change research group of cE3c. I am an Associate Researcher of Ecology and Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon. My research focuses on understanding ecological patterns at the ecosystem level in response to environmental changes. For many years I have been involved in studying the impact of anthropogenic activity in the structure and functioning of ecosystems.

National Deputy of IUFRO in the topic: Impacts of air pollution and climate change on forest ecosystems.

Leader of the working group 3 of the Cost action ES1104, ”Arid Lands Restoration and Combat of Desertification”.

National representative at the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and AFNOR Normalisation for: biomonitoring methods with mosses and lichens.

Represents the University of Lisbon on REALP (Network of Environmental studies of the Portuguese Speaking Countries).

My current research is driven by three overarching objectives:

i) Understand the structure and functioning of dryland ecosystems (including agro-ecosystems and agroforestry ecosystems) under environmental change scenarios (eutrophication, climate change and pollution);

ii) Develop, test, model and track early warning ecological indicators of environmental change factors at global scale, as well as, ecotechnological solutions for restoring ecosystem structure and functioning;

iii) Understand what is the role of urban green areas and of its biodiversity in ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services;