Lena Sachsenmaier
@lsachsenmaier.bsky.social
Doctoral Researcher @iDiv in the International Research Training Group TreeDì & AG Wirth/Weigelt @UniLeipzig
Forest Ecology | Biodiversity & Ecosystem Functioning | Drought Responses | Tree Ecophysiology
Forest Ecology | Biodiversity & Ecosystem Functioning | Drought Responses | Tree Ecophysiology
Over 2,600🌳 #trees during the 2018–2020 #drought :
• Traits disadvantageous in normal years became beneficial under drought
• Trees grew better with neighbours whose hydro-functional traits differed from their own
🗞️Paper out now @globalchangebio.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
• Traits disadvantageous in normal years became beneficial under drought
• Trees grew better with neighbours whose hydro-functional traits differed from their own
🗞️Paper out now @globalchangebio.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Hydro‐Functional Traits and Their Dissimilarity to the Neighbourhood Buffer Tree Growth Against the 2018–2020 Central European Drought
Climate change is putting forests at risk. Our research shows that a tree's water-use strategy largely determines its growth across years: whereas one strategy performs better in normal years, the ot....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Over 2,600🌳 #trees during the 2018–2020 #drought :
• Traits disadvantageous in normal years became beneficial under drought
• Trees grew better with neighbours whose hydro-functional traits differed from their own
🗞️Paper out now @globalchangebio.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
• Traits disadvantageous in normal years became beneficial under drought
• Trees grew better with neighbours whose hydro-functional traits differed from their own
🗞️Paper out now @globalchangebio.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Inspiring joint conference of @treedi.bsky.social and @multitroph.bsky.social at @idiv-research.bsky.social, with 20 presentations by doctoral researchers, 7 workshops, 5 international keynote speakers, 1 excursion and 1 guided city tour.
November 1, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Inspiring joint conference of @treedi.bsky.social and @multitroph.bsky.social at @idiv-research.bsky.social, with 20 presentations by doctoral researchers, 7 workshops, 5 international keynote speakers, 1 excursion and 1 guided city tour.
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
I had the honour to write a @newphyt.bsky.social commentary on this fantastic paper — summarizing its key insights and exploring exciting directions for future research. Hope it may spark new ideas and helps the community! ✨
🔗 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🔗 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
October 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I had the honour to write a @newphyt.bsky.social commentary on this fantastic paper — summarizing its key insights and exploring exciting directions for future research. Hope it may spark new ideas and helps the community! ✨
🔗 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🔗 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Super excited to see that the last chapter of my PhD on root trait - ecosystem functioning relationships is now published in @newphyt.bsky.social!
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Rooting for function: community‐level fine‐root traits relate to many ecosystem functions
Humans are driving biodiversity change, which also alters community functional traits. However, how changes in the functional traits of the community alter ecosystem functions—especially belowground...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 7, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Super excited to see that the last chapter of my PhD on root trait - ecosystem functioning relationships is now published in @newphyt.bsky.social!
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Such a great week with the #sTREND working group — lots of ideas on tree traits and neighbourhood diversity taking shape. 🌲🌳 Grateful to have been part of it! #FunctionalTraits #ForestDiversity @idiv-research.bsky.social
Fun week @idiv-research.bsky.social attending the 1st meeting of sTREND working group on synthesis of tree traits responses to neighbouring diversity with @mixedforests.bsky.social, @ritasousasilva.bsky.social, @habenblondeel.bsky.social, @cavenderg9.bsky.social, @shankothari.bsky.social and others
July 16, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Such a great week with the #sTREND working group — lots of ideas on tree traits and neighbourhood diversity taking shape. 🌲🌳 Grateful to have been part of it! #FunctionalTraits #ForestDiversity @idiv-research.bsky.social
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Root shrinkage measurements of 40 #tree species at #ARBOfun completed! We've measured root #shrinkage, to understand #root-soil contact under #drought. The campaign was led by Dr. Anvar Sanaei with great support of our technician Nicole Nabel. Excited to see the results! #RootTraits #PlantScience
July 16, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Root shrinkage measurements of 40 #tree species at #ARBOfun completed! We've measured root #shrinkage, to understand #root-soil contact under #drought. The campaign was led by Dr. Anvar Sanaei with great support of our technician Nicole Nabel. Excited to see the results! #RootTraits #PlantScience
Into the canopy for tiny pores 🌲🔎
We sampled needles from 12 #conifer species at the arboretum #ARBOfun to study stomatal density and size. Looking forward to the lab work & to uncovering what these traits can reveal about tree drought responses in a changing climate. #stomata #drought #forest
We sampled needles from 12 #conifer species at the arboretum #ARBOfun to study stomatal density and size. Looking forward to the lab work & to uncovering what these traits can reveal about tree drought responses in a changing climate. #stomata #drought #forest
July 2, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
16 April is the day when Leipzig celebrates its floodplain forest – and fittingly, a new paper by Annalena Lenk @agwirthweigelt.bsky.social shows how the current tree dieback combined with the thinning of certain understorey species, can support oak regeneration.🌳🍃
www.idiv.de/experiment-i...
www.idiv.de/experiment-i...
Experiment in Leipzig’s floodplain forest
Using tree mortality to support oak regeneration
www.idiv.de
April 16, 2025 at 11:08 AM
16 April is the day when Leipzig celebrates its floodplain forest – and fittingly, a new paper by Annalena Lenk @agwirthweigelt.bsky.social shows how the current tree dieback combined with the thinning of certain understorey species, can support oak regeneration.🌳🍃
www.idiv.de/experiment-i...
www.idiv.de/experiment-i...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Congratulations to iDiv’s founding director Christian Wirth!🥂
Yesterday, he received the member certificate of the Academy of Sciences @leopoldina.org - a high scientific honour.👏
Read more (in German): www.idiv.de/de/christian...
@agwirthweigelt.bsky.social @unileipzig.bsky.social #iDivImpact
Yesterday, he received the member certificate of the Academy of Sciences @leopoldina.org - a high scientific honour.👏
Read more (in German): www.idiv.de/de/christian...
@agwirthweigelt.bsky.social @unileipzig.bsky.social #iDivImpact
iDiv-Gründungsdirektor Christian Wirth bekommt Urkunde als neues Mitglied der Leopoldina
Die Aufnahme in die 1652 gegründete Gelehrtengesellschaft gilt als hohe wissenschaftliche Anerkennung.
www.idiv.de
April 10, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Congratulations to iDiv’s founding director Christian Wirth!🥂
Yesterday, he received the member certificate of the Academy of Sciences @leopoldina.org - a high scientific honour.👏
Read more (in German): www.idiv.de/de/christian...
@agwirthweigelt.bsky.social @unileipzig.bsky.social #iDivImpact
Yesterday, he received the member certificate of the Academy of Sciences @leopoldina.org - a high scientific honour.👏
Read more (in German): www.idiv.de/de/christian...
@agwirthweigelt.bsky.social @unileipzig.bsky.social #iDivImpact
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
🌍 Ever wondered what life is made of - literally?
We just launched StoichLife, a global dataset of the elemental building blocks of life across nearly 6,000 species! 🌱🐟
Spanning land, water, and sea, it opens up new insights into how organisms are shaped by their environments 🏜️🏔️🌊 #stoichiometry
We just launched StoichLife, a global dataset of the elemental building blocks of life across nearly 6,000 species! 🌱🐟
Spanning land, water, and sea, it opens up new insights into how organisms are shaped by their environments 🏜️🏔️🌊 #stoichiometry
April 4, 2025 at 7:15 AM
🌍 Ever wondered what life is made of - literally?
We just launched StoichLife, a global dataset of the elemental building blocks of life across nearly 6,000 species! 🌱🐟
Spanning land, water, and sea, it opens up new insights into how organisms are shaped by their environments 🏜️🏔️🌊 #stoichiometry
We just launched StoichLife, a global dataset of the elemental building blocks of life across nearly 6,000 species! 🌱🐟
Spanning land, water, and sea, it opens up new insights into how organisms are shaped by their environments 🏜️🏔️🌊 #stoichiometry
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Interested in how #forest #resilience to #drought depended on tree diversity and #mycorrhiza?
The study by @lsachsenmaier.bsky.social in @journalofecology.bsky.social was just shortlisted for the Harper Prize🚨👏 Read more on the paper here👇
jecologyblog.com/2025/04/04/l...
The study by @lsachsenmaier.bsky.social in @journalofecology.bsky.social was just shortlisted for the Harper Prize🚨👏 Read more on the paper here👇
jecologyblog.com/2025/04/04/l...
Lena Sachsenmaier: Forest growth resistance and resilience to the 2018–2020 drought depend on tree diversity and mycorrhizal type
2024 HARPER PRIZE SHORTLIST: For the next two weeks, we are featuring the articles shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize. The Harper Prize is an annual award for the best early career research pape…
jecologyblog.com
April 7, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Interested in how #forest #resilience to #drought depended on tree diversity and #mycorrhiza?
The study by @lsachsenmaier.bsky.social in @journalofecology.bsky.social was just shortlisted for the Harper Prize🚨👏 Read more on the paper here👇
jecologyblog.com/2025/04/04/l...
The study by @lsachsenmaier.bsky.social in @journalofecology.bsky.social was just shortlisted for the Harper Prize🚨👏 Read more on the paper here👇
jecologyblog.com/2025/04/04/l...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
👏 And also congrats to @karlandraczek.bsky.social! His paper on #biodiversity – #productivity relationships in managed #grasslands was as well shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize! 🌱 Read more on the Journal of Ecology blog: jecologyblog.com/2025/04/02/k...
Karl Andraczek: Weak reciprocal relationships between productivity and plant biodiversity in managed grasslands
2024 HARPER PRIZE SHORTLIST: For the next two weeks, we are featuring the articles shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize. The Harper Prize is an annual award for the best early career research pape…
jecologyblog.com
April 8, 2025 at 12:33 PM
👏 And also congrats to @karlandraczek.bsky.social! His paper on #biodiversity – #productivity relationships in managed #grasslands was as well shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize! 🌱 Read more on the Journal of Ecology blog: jecologyblog.com/2025/04/02/k...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
🎉 Congrats to our PhD student @lsachsenmaier.bsky.social, whose paper on #forest #growth #resistance & #resilience to drought was shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize! 🌳 Read more on the Journal of Ecology blog: jecologyblog.com/2025/04/04/l...
Lena Sachsenmaier: Forest growth resistance and resilience to the 2018–2020 drought depend on tree diversity and mycorrhizal type
2024 HARPER PRIZE SHORTLIST: For the next two weeks, we are featuring the articles shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize. The Harper Prize is an annual award for the best early career research pape…
jecologyblog.com
April 8, 2025 at 12:40 PM
🎉 Congrats to our PhD student @lsachsenmaier.bsky.social, whose paper on #forest #growth #resistance & #resilience to drought was shortlisted for the 2024 Harper Prize! 🌳 Read more on the Journal of Ecology blog: jecologyblog.com/2025/04/04/l...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
New paper by our PhD student Annalena Lenk in #Forest #Ecology and Management: #Climate change-induced tree mortality can promote #oak regeneration in #floodplain forests – if flood-intolerant maple species are selectively removed. #Biodiversity #Research
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Elevated tree mortality as a regeneration niche for oak? Testing different management approaches in a meliorated floodplain forest
Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur L.), a keystone species in European temperate floodplain forests, faces regeneration challenges due to dense canopies c…
sciencedirect.com
April 3, 2025 at 11:08 AM
New paper by our PhD student Annalena Lenk in #Forest #Ecology and Management: #Climate change-induced tree mortality can promote #oak regeneration in #floodplain forests – if flood-intolerant maple species are selectively removed. #Biodiversity #Research
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Are you interested in #forest microclimate, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning? 🌲🌳🌡️
🗞️In our new study we show: Tree diversity increases #forest temperature buffering🗞️
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
/w @remybeugnon.bsky.social, @uni-freiburg.de, @unileipzig.bsky.social, @agwirthweigelt.bsky.social
🗞️In our new study we show: Tree diversity increases #forest temperature buffering🗞️
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
/w @remybeugnon.bsky.social, @uni-freiburg.de, @unileipzig.bsky.social, @agwirthweigelt.bsky.social
Tree Diversity Increases Forest Temperature Buffering via Enhancing Canopy Density and Structural Diversity
Making use of 6 years of microclimate measurements in a large-scale tree diversity experiment covering a species richness gradient ranging from 1 to 24 tree species, we demonstrate that tree species ....
doi.org
March 31, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Are you interested in #forest microclimate, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning? 🌲🌳🌡️
🗞️In our new study we show: Tree diversity increases #forest temperature buffering🗞️
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
/w @remybeugnon.bsky.social, @uni-freiburg.de, @unileipzig.bsky.social, @agwirthweigelt.bsky.social
🗞️In our new study we show: Tree diversity increases #forest temperature buffering🗞️
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
/w @remybeugnon.bsky.social, @uni-freiburg.de, @unileipzig.bsky.social, @agwirthweigelt.bsky.social
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
🌴🌳 Tree species richness increases climate buffering 🌡️🥵
I am so happy to share our latest piece, now published in Ecology Letters!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
I am so happy to share our latest piece, now published in Ecology Letters!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Tree Diversity Increases Forest Temperature Buffering via Enhancing Canopy Density and Structural Diversity
Making use of 6 years of microclimate measurements in a large-scale tree diversity experiment covering a species richness gradient ranging from 1 to 24 tree species, we demonstrate that tree species ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 23, 2025 at 1:25 PM
🌴🌳 Tree species richness increases climate buffering 🌡️🥵
I am so happy to share our latest piece, now published in Ecology Letters!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
I am so happy to share our latest piece, now published in Ecology Letters!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Very cool paper reviewing how the Root Economics Space advances our understanding of fine-root functioning 🫚🌾☀️
It was a great pleasure to work with such an amazing team of coauthors, especially the fantastic lead team @elsaelsam.bsky.social , @joanabergmann.bsky.social
It was a great pleasure to work with such an amazing team of coauthors, especially the fantastic lead team @elsaelsam.bsky.social , @joanabergmann.bsky.social
March 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Very cool paper reviewing how the Root Economics Space advances our understanding of fine-root functioning 🫚🌾☀️
It was a great pleasure to work with such an amazing team of coauthors, especially the fantastic lead team @elsaelsam.bsky.social , @joanabergmann.bsky.social
It was a great pleasure to work with such an amazing team of coauthors, especially the fantastic lead team @elsaelsam.bsky.social , @joanabergmann.bsky.social
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
We're pleased to announce the shortlist for this year's Harper Prize. 🏆
Each year, we award the Harper Prize to the best paper in the journal by an early career author.
See the full list here:
Each year, we award the Harper Prize to the best paper in the journal by an early career author.
See the full list here:
2024 Harper Prize Shortlist: Early Career Research Award
The Harper Prize is awarded annually by the British Ecological Society for the best paper in Journal of Ecology by an early career author. We are pleased to present th…
buff.ly
March 20, 2025 at 10:51 AM
We're pleased to announce the shortlist for this year's Harper Prize. 🏆
Each year, we award the Harper Prize to the best paper in the journal by an early career author.
See the full list here:
Each year, we award the Harper Prize to the best paper in the journal by an early career author.
See the full list here:
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
This has definitely been an adventure! 🥾 On Friday, after some years working on my PhD, I defended my thesis. And having the chance to give this step surrounded by colleagues, friends and family has been something “unbeleafable” 🍃
March 10, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This has definitely been an adventure! 🥾 On Friday, after some years working on my PhD, I defended my thesis. And having the chance to give this step surrounded by colleagues, friends and family has been something “unbeleafable” 🍃
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
How does #biodiversity affect plant #defence investment?
We found that while overall defence investment remains stable, plant species richness decouples leaf and root defences.
For more details, check out our paper: nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@newphyt.bsky.social
We found that while overall defence investment remains stable, plant species richness decouples leaf and root defences.
For more details, check out our paper: nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@newphyt.bsky.social
Plant species richness promotes the decoupling of leaf and root defence traits while species‐specific responses in physical and chemical defences are rare
The increased positive impact of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning is often attributed to the accumulation of mutualists and dilution of antagonists in diverse plant communities. While increa...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 3, 2025 at 11:21 AM
How does #biodiversity affect plant #defence investment?
We found that while overall defence investment remains stable, plant species richness decouples leaf and root defences.
For more details, check out our paper: nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@newphyt.bsky.social
We found that while overall defence investment remains stable, plant species richness decouples leaf and root defences.
For more details, check out our paper: nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@newphyt.bsky.social
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Interested in #forest restoration and #carbon sequestration?
🚨 In our new study in @globalchangebio.bsky.social we show that 🌳 Tree diversity 🌲 increases carbon stocks and fluxes in a tropical forest experiment.
#TreeDivNet, @uni-freiburg.de
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
🚨 In our new study in @globalchangebio.bsky.social we show that 🌳 Tree diversity 🌲 increases carbon stocks and fluxes in a tropical forest experiment.
#TreeDivNet, @uni-freiburg.de
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Tree Diversity Increases Carbon Stocks and Fluxes Above—But Not Belowground in a Tropical Forest Experiment
We examined the potential of mixed-species planted forests compared to monospecific forests to act as a nature-based solution to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. By analysing m....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Interested in #forest restoration and #carbon sequestration?
🚨 In our new study in @globalchangebio.bsky.social we show that 🌳 Tree diversity 🌲 increases carbon stocks and fluxes in a tropical forest experiment.
#TreeDivNet, @uni-freiburg.de
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
🚨 In our new study in @globalchangebio.bsky.social we show that 🌳 Tree diversity 🌲 increases carbon stocks and fluxes in a tropical forest experiment.
#TreeDivNet, @uni-freiburg.de
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Really enjoyed the ARBOfun meeting @iDiv! Always a pleasure to exchange ideas in such a unique setting — happy to be part of this community! #ARBOfun
ARBOfun Meeting 2025 @iDiv – Thanks for your brilliant talks, the fruitful discussions, and two inspiring days! Exciting to see how our research evolves on this unique platform, where 100 different tree species grow side by side. #ARBOfun
February 24, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Really enjoyed the ARBOfun meeting @iDiv! Always a pleasure to exchange ideas in such a unique setting — happy to be part of this community! #ARBOfun
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
What a nice start to 2025! The second chapter of my PhD is now out in Ecology Letters!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Plant Species Richness and the Root Economics Space Drive Soil Fungal Communities
Soil fungi are critical for plants and ecosystems but are also affected by the vegetation itself. Here, we show how an experimental gradient of plant species richness and community fine root traits d...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM
What a nice start to 2025! The second chapter of my PhD is now out in Ecology Letters!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Lena Sachsenmaier
Intraspecific and intraindividual trait variability decrease with tree species richness in a subtropical tree biodiversity experiment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.24.625116v1
Intraspecific and intraindividual trait variability decrease with tree species richness in a subtropical tree biodiversity experiment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.24.625116v1
Phenotypic variability within tree species responds to local tree species richness. However, we lack
www.biorxiv.org
November 27, 2024 at 12:31 AM
Intraspecific and intraindividual trait variability decrease with tree species richness in a subtropical tree biodiversity experiment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.24.625116v1