Lisanne van Willegen
Email: afpa8d@bangor.ac.uk or liswil@ceh.ac.uk
Room Details: 1st floor, Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales building
PhD Title (or subject area)
Impacts of climate change and management on the future of dune ecosystems
Supervisors
Professor Davey L. Jones
Dr. Laurence Jones (CEH)
Overview
Wales’ coastal dune sites provide habitat for many rare plant, invertebrate and vertebrate species. Newborough Warren, a National Nature Reserve, is one of the dune wetlands habitats which is likely to be affected and vulnerable for changing rain patterns and summer droughts. In order to safeguard the biodiversity and associated ecosystem services that Newborough provides, there is a need to understand the pressures of climate change on the hydrology and plant communities of the site. Research into this mechanism will help to develop sustainable management into the future. Monitoring, modelling and experimental innovative site management will be part of the project to assess the impact of the dune wetland hydrology on site. The aim of the project is to assess the relative impacts of climate change and management on dune wetland hydrology and plant communities. This will improve knowledge and management of the hydrological requirements of dune wetlands across Wales.
Research Interests
- Nature conservation and management
- Vegetation ecology
- Forest management
- Botanical fieldwork
- Dendrochronology
- Insect-plant relations
Biography
I am an enthusiastic researcher with a keen interest in restoration ecology and nature conservation. During the masters period I have developed skills in fieldwork and data analysis, especially related to vegetation ecology and forest management. I have worked on various projects ranging from detailed ecophysiology to community dynamics; from the transpiration process within leaves to the response of vegetation to a dune fire. With this project I hope to follow my academic interest for nature conservation and be able contribute towards the scientific community. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisanne-van-willegen-897b9789/