Current Position
Postdoctoral researcher in the department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and member of the research group Functional Biogeography: terrestrial ecosystems response to environmental changes and gradients at CREAF.
Forest ecophysiology, plant hydraulics, ecosystem fluxes
Research Focus
My research is centered on the water and carbon dynamics within forest ecosystems, with a specific focus on how these processes are shaped by global environmental changes. I specialize in understanding the mechanisms that trees employ to regulate water and carbon, aiming to elucidate their survival strategies and the broader implications for forest health and climate interactions. My work has contributed to our understanding of tree water use strategies and the role of hydraulic traits in forest functioning.
Academic Background and Research Contributions
I earned my Ph.D. in Terrestrial Ecology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, graduating Cum Laude in 2021. My doctoral research, which was disseminated through multiple peer-reviewed articles, included pivotal research stays at leading institutions such as the Laboratory of Plant Ecology in Ghent and the University of Utah.
Academic Background and Research Contributions
I earned my Ph.D. in Terrestrial Ecology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, graduating Cum Laude in 2021. My doctoral research, which was disseminated through multiple peer-reviewed articles, included pivotal research stays at leading institutions such as the Laboratory of Plant Ecology in Ghent and the University of Utah.
Ongoing Projects
My ongoing projects explore the critical role of hydraulic traits in mediating tree responses to environmental stressors like drought. This research is vital for improving predictive models of forest behavior under future climate scenarios.
Projects
HYDREFOR
Addressing uncertainties in carbon assimilation, particularly concerning the effects of canopy temperature and drought on photosynthetic acclimation using stomatal models.
Data Analytics
Offering expert consulting services in data analytics, with a focus on leveraging advanced statistical techniques to drive informed decision-making and optimize business outcomes.
Teaching
Spring 2024 Biosphere Sciences
I have lectured on the Biosphere Science course as part of the BSc Biology program at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. This 6-ECTS credit course focuses on understanding and analyzing the processes that govern the functioning of the biosphere on a global scale. The course emphasizes the intricate interactions between biota and geophysical components, as well as the significant impacts of human activity on these systems. Additionally, the course explores the environmental history of Earth as a critical tool for understanding the processes currently shaping the planet’s functioning.
Fall 2022 Plant, Water and Energy
I conducted an 8-hour seminars integrated into the course titled Plant, Water and Energy as part of the MSc Ecosystems and Environmental Change program at Imperial College London, UK. This course explored the complex interactions between plants, water, and energy within ecosystems, emphasizing the physiological and ecological processes that underpin these relationships, with a particular focus on modeling.
Spring 2019 and 2020 Biosphere Sciences
I conducted 69 hours of problem-solving seminars as part of the Biosphere Science course within the BSc Biology program at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. These seminars helped students understand the processes that govern the biosphere by working with actual data and models, effectively complementing the theoretical knowledge covered in the course.
Spring 2019 and 2020
I conducted 117 hours of practical lessons in the Ecology course within the Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Biology program at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. These sessions included fieldwork with students to collect data, which we later analyzed during computer lab sessions. The course concluded with students preparing posters to present their findings.
Publications
2024
Sandoval D., Flo V., Morfopoulos C., Prentice IC. 2024. Temperature effects on the global patterns of photosynthetic quantum efficiency. Science Advances submitted
Flo V., Joshi J., Sabot M., Sandoval D., Prentice IC. 2024. Incorporating photosynthetic acclimation improves stomatal optimisation models. Plant, Cell & Environment
2023
Bachofen C., Poyatos R., Flo V., Martínez-Vilalta J., Mencuccini M., Granda V., Grossiord C. 2023. Stand structure of Central European forests matters more than climate for transpiration sensitivity to VPD. Journal of applied ecology 60 (5), 886-897.
2022
Flo V, Martínez-Vilalta J., Granda V., Mencuccini M., Poyatos R. 2022. Vapour pressure deficit is the main driver of tree canopy conductance across biomes. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 322, 109029.
2021
Flo V., Martínez-Vilalta J., Mencuccini M., Granda V., Anderegg W., Poyatos R. 2021. Climate and functional traits jointly mediate tree water‐use strategies. New Phytologist
Peters RL., Pappas C., Hurley AG., Poyatos R., Flo V., Zweifel R., Goossens W., Steppe K. 2021. Assimilate, process and analyse thermal dissipation sap flow data using the TREX r package. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 12 (2), 1342-350
Poyatos R., Granda V., Flo V., et al. 2021. Global transpiration data from sap flow measurements: the SAPFLUXNET database. Earth System Science Data 13: 2607-2649.
2019
Flo V., Martínez-Vilalta J., Steppe K., Schuldt B., Poyatos R. 2019. A synthesis of bias and uncertainty in sap flow methods. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 271: 362-374.
2018
Flo V., Bosch, J.; Arnan, X.; Primante, C.; Martin Gonzalez, A.M.; Barril-Graells, H.; Rodrigo, A. (1/7). 2018. Yearly fluctuations of flower landscape in a Mediterranean scrubland: Consequences for floral resource availability. PLoS ONE 13-1: 1-14.
write me at: vflosierra@gmail.com