Profile

Lena Sachsenmaier

Lena Sachsenmaier

Research Fellow

Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity
Institutsgebäude
Johannisallee 21, Room 126
04103 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 38595

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Abstract

I study biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships in forests to support sustainable management and conservation, particularly under climate change. My research focuses on forest responses to drought, the potential of tree diversity to buffer drought impacts, and species-specific hydro-functional strategies of trees.

In my current project, I investigate how trees regulate stomatal conductance under atmospheric drought in the research arboretum ARBOfun (Großpösna), within the framework of the DFG International Research Training Group TreeDì – 林地 at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig.

Professional career

  • since 08/2021
    Doctoral Researcher - International Research Training Group TreeDì - 林地, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig and Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity Group, University of Leipzig
  • 11/2020 - 07/2021
    Teacher for Biology and Geography at secondary schools in Cologne, Germany

Education

  • 05/2019 - 10/2020
    Teacher Trainee (for secondary school teaching) at Center for practical school teacher training Cologne, Germany
  • 10/2015 - 12/2018
    Master (M.Ed.) - Biology & Geography University of Cologne, Germany (Thesis: “The Effect of Tree Enrichment in an Oil Palm Plantation on the Biodiversity of the Understorey Vegetation”, within the EFForTS project of University of Göttingen & University of Jambi, Indonesia)
  • 10/2011 - 05/2015
    Bachelor (B.Ed.) - Biology & Geography University of Trier, Germany with Semester abroad at University of Salamanca, Spain (Thesis: "Miscanthus als Substrat für die Biogasgewinnung – Konsequenzen für den Nährstoffhaushalt der Bestände“)

  • Sachsenmaier, L.; Schnabel, F.; Tezeh, F. R.; Castro Sánchez-Bermejo, P.; Eisenhauer, N.; Ferlian, O.; Haider, S.; Richter, R.; Paligi, S. S.; Schuldt, B.; Wirth, C.
    Hydro-Functional Traits and Their Dissimilarity to the Neighbourhood Buffer Tree Growth Against the 2018–2020 Central European Drought
    Global Change Biology. 2025.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70588
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  • Sachsenmaier, L.; Schnabel, F.; Dietrich, P.; Eisenhauer, N.; Ferlian, O.; Quosh, J.; Richter, R.; Wirth, C.
    Forest growth resistance and resilience to the 2018–2020 drought depend on tree diversity and mycorrhizal type
    Journal of Ecology. 2024.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14360
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  • Kattenborn, T. J.; Wieneke, S. J.; Montero Loaiza, D.; Mahecha, M.; Richter, R.; Guimarães-Steinicke, C. R.; Wirth, C.; Ferlian, O.; Feilhauer, H.; Sachsenmaier, L.; Eisenhauer, N.; Dechant, B. D. E.
    Temporal dynamics in vertical leaf angles can confound vegetation indices widely used in Earth observations
    Communications Earth & Environment. 2024. p. 550.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01712-0
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  • Zemp, D. C.; Guerrero-Ramirez, N. R.; Brambach, F. et al.
    Tree islands enhance biodiversity and functioning in oil palm landscapes
    Nature. 2023. pp. 316–321.
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06086-5
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  • Sánchez-Bermejo, P. C.; Carmona, C. P.; Schuman, M.; Benavides, R.; Sachsenmaier, L.; Li, S.; Liu, X.; Haider, S.
    Intraspecific and intraindividual trait variability decrease with tree richness in a subtropical tree biodiversity experiment
    Nature Communications. 2025. p. 11009.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67265-8
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