Raissa Iana Leite Jardim

I am a PhD Researcher at the University of Exeter in the Department of Geography (Physical Geography).

I am a biologist with a strong background in community assembly processes and functional ecology. I completed my B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Brazil, focusing on plant ecology and the mechanisms driving species distribution and ecological strategies. During my undergraduate research, I explored the phenotypic plasticity of woody plants along environmental gradients, including light availability and soil conditions. My bachelor’s thesis examined the functional composition of understory-resident woody species in the Atlantic Forest, assessing how functional redundancy contributes to the resilience of the understory layer.

I obtained my M.Sc. in Ecology and Conservation, where my research focused on forest-grassland mosaics in a transition zone between the Atlantic Forest (Araucaria Forest) and Brazil’s megadiverse savannas, the Cerrado. I investigated how the disruption of fire-vegetation feedbacks drives the encroachment of woody species into grassland ecosystems. Additionally, I examined how structural changes in vegetation - shifting from open to closed conditions -affect species' ecological strategies, considering both above- and belowground functional traits.

My PhD research focuses on the functional composition of native Cerrado species found in pastures, with the goal of developing nature-based solutions to enhance biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision. I am particularly interested in belowground structures of Cerrado species and their role in the natural regeneration of pastures. My current research aims to improve our understanding of how native plants can be integrated into sustainable agricultural practices and how different plant life-history strategies can contribute to more effective pasture restoration.

I am interested in the following themes: community assembly, plant ecological strategies above and below-ground functional traits, functional composition and ecological restoration.

Qualifications:

2020 – 2023 | M.Sc. in Ecology and Conservation, Federal University of Paraná, Brazil
Supervised by Marcos Carlucci 

Project “Unveiling above- and below-ground ecological strategies that underlie woody plant encroachment in grasslands”.

2016 – 2021 | B.Sc. in Biology, University of Joinville, Brazil
Supervised by João Carlos Ferreira de Melo Júnior

Project “Functional redundancy of understory resident woody plants of two Atlantic Forest fragments”.