Pueyo Estaún, Yolanda

Biography

My research is mainly focused on the dynamic and functioning of semi-arid ecosystems. I am particularly interested in the biotic interactions between plants, the spatial patterns they generate and how these interactions are modified by different external factors, such as aridity, grazing and hydrological properties of the ecosystem. Among the semi-arid regions, gypsum environments are one of my research lines. I investigate the adaptations of plants to live in such restrictive soils, and how human activities, mainly grazing and fragmentation, modify gypsum plant communities.

Research Interest

In the last years, I have incorporated mechanistic models of plant and water dynamics in semi-arid ecosystems as a research tool to simulate the patterns and processes that we observe in the field. I intend to predict trends in plant succession and stability of plant communities in semi-arid environments, and understand the potential role of different plant traits and biotic interactions in restoration of degraded lands.