Distribution and performance of conifers

We try to understand how species are adapted to their original climate by 1) quantifying the growth responses and sensitivity of tree species to annual variation in climatic conditions (e.g. dry summers, cold winters) at the current field site, and relating this to the climatic conditions in their place of origin, 2) explaining how climatic growth responses are driven by underlying functional traits, 3) showing how these traits radiated during evolution by using phylogenetic analysis.

BSc/MSc thesis topics

• A search for alternative tree species for Picea abies - Leffert Jullens (BSc thesis 2020)
• A search for the most resilient tree species in future Dutch forests - Jort Meijboom (BSc thesis 2020)