Giulia Vico

I am professor in plant ecology at the Department of Ecology.

I explore how plants respond to detrimental climatic conditions, such as lack of precipitation and extreme temperatures, and their combinations. I quantify the risk of damage to crops and forests under current and future climates and determine the mechanisms behind such vulnerability. In parallel, I assess the potential of adaptation approaches to reduce the risks of damage towards reliable production, and their implications in terms of resource use efficiency and environmental sustainability.

I develop and apply eco-hydrological models – process based, quantitative description of vegetation response to unpredictable, potentially damaging, weather conditions. I combine process-based models with collation and analyze big data, I combine process-based mathematical models and large data analyses, exploiting published studies, as well as long-term experiments and regional and national surveys. With these, I explore the frequency and extent of damage from adverse climatic conditions on plant processes and ultimately primary production, with a focus on managed ecosystems. I investigate how response to climatic conditions is mediated by adopted management practices and the underlying ecological mechanisms. These management practices include choice of species and varieties with specific traits, species diversity, and inputs in the field and landscape.

Read about the Plant Ecology Unit.

For a full list of publication, see Google Scholar or SLU publication database.