Overview

I am a professor at the University of Exeter.  My research is focused on understanding how tropical ecosystems from rainforests to savannas respond to environmental change and how we can conserve and restore these ecosystems to be resilient to future anthropogenic climate change. 

Previously I completed a PhD titled 'Reducing uncertainty in predictions of the response of Amazonian forest to climate change' at the University of Edinburgh in 2013. Since my PhD I have completed two post-doctoral positions one in the University of Edinburgh focused on understanding how tree mortality risk is related to hydraulic and metabolic properties of tropical trees. My second position was based at the University of Exeter and focused on modelling drought-induced mortality in the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), specifically focusing on how to introduce a representation of plant hydraulics and drought-induced tropical tree mortality into JULES.

My current research focuses on understanding how plants respond to environmental change across tropical biomes from rainforest to savannas. In particular, I focus on plant hydraulic responses, and how these responses control carbon sequestration, influence the resilience of ecosystems to change, as well as their restoration potential. I have research project based across Asia, Latin America and Africa and my work focuses on both empirical measurements and vegetation modelling. Please see my blog for further details:

http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/lucyrowland/

Broad research specialisms:

Tropical Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga, Climate change, Drought, Vegetation modelling, Eco-physiology, carbon dynamics, water dynamics.

Qualifications

BA Geography 2009, University of Oxford,
PhD – 2013 University of Edinburgh

Links

• Link to my Blog

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Research

Research interests

My Research is focused on understanding how tropical forests interact with their environment. I use a combination of both natural and experimental field observations, and vegetation modelling to investigate how shifts in environmental conditions cause the ecology and physiology of tropical forests to change. In particular my studies have focused on the effect of drought and climate warming on tropical rainforests.

My specific research areas include

1. Determining how the interaction between the carbon and the water cycle within tropical environments change with shifting climate conditions.
2. Understanding how drought influences mortality risk in tropical environments .
3. Determining how tropical tree physiology is altered by changes in temperature, water & nutrient availability.

Please see my blog for further details:

http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/lucyrowland/

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Supervision / Group

Postgraduate researchers

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Office Hours:

Please email in advance to book a meeting slot for either: Tuesday 8-9am (in the office in person) or Wedensday 8-9am (online). 

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