Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Modelling - CCIAM

Francisca Aguiar

External Collaborator

I received a Ph.D. in Forestry from the University of Lisbon (School of Agriculture) in 2005 and I am currently working in the Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation & Modelling research group of cE3c. My research has been focused in the spatial and temporal patterns of riparian forests in Mediterranean-type rivers, and the influence of human disturbances, notably land-use and river regulation. I have also explored the patterns, losses and causes of plant invasions and developed indices and models to assess the ecological quality of rivers. I have been involved in the implementation of the EU-Water Framework Directive and in the intercalibration of metrics of ecological quality using aquatic plants.

My current research is driven by three overarching objectives:

- understand and predict the trajectories of riverscape change: effects of land-use cover change, flow regulation and water scarcity in rivers and riparian forests;
- assessment of ecological quality and ecosystem services in riparian landscapes: development of predictive models & decision-making tools for conservation and restoration;

- provide adaptation knowledge to climate change at local and municipalities levels and promotion of stakeholder participation processes in climate change adaptation strategies.