Leonie Schönbeck

My current research as a researcher at SLU focuses on the effects of future drought and higher temperatures on Swedish forests. Specifically, I study the variation of drought and heat tolerance within tree species, to see how resilient the species might be to future climate change. For this, I study tree species along climatic gradients and assess their drought and temperature tolerance, and their capacity to acclimate to new (e.g. drier or warmer) conditions. 

Revealing inter- and intraspecific variation of heat and drought tolerance for climate-smart forest management in Europe 

My key research focuses on predicting the hydraulic and thermal risk of Swedish forests by resolving the physiological drivers of heat and drought tolerance, particularly regarding inter- and intraspecific variation and temporal acclimation. In a larger perspective, I want to find gradients on a European scale, from warm to cooler, and wet to drier ecosystems, and discover the range limits of trees for heat and drought. 

Funded by Formas, SLU-T4F

Drought stress detection and soil-tree-atmosphere water relations

In research station Tönnersjöheden, a new roof experiment with 20 roofs covering the rhizosphere of more than 40 trees, allows for detailed monitoring of drought stress in Norway spruce. 

Funded by SLU Forest Damage Center

BSc Forest and Lanscape
Trees - structure and function (lecturer)

MSc Euroforester
Forest regeneration
Sustainable forest management - analysis and adaptations (lecturer)
Broadleaves - Forest dynamics, biodiversity and management for multiple use (lecturer)

2019 - PhD in Botany - University of Basel, Switzerland
2017 - Diploma of Advanced Studies in Applied Statistics - ETH Zürich, Switzerland
2015 - MSc Biology - Wageningen University, the Netherlands
2013 - BSc Biology - Wageningen University, the Netherlands

2024-2025

Teaching in higher education Part 1
Doctoral co-supervision
Doctoral supervision