Ernesto Medina
Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research
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Primary Section: 63, Environmental Sciences and Ecology Secondary Section: 62, Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences Membership Type:
International Member
(elected 1992)
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Research Interests
Research interests are regulation of photosynthesis and productivity of plant populations by environmental variables, particularly nutrient availability in natural ecosystems. Current main project deals with plant productivity responses to salinity, drought, and nutrient availability in coastal wetlands. I am interested in the physiological properties at different developmental stages, seedlings, saplings, reproducing adults, that account for survival of adults and allow establishment of new individuals. Properties of interest include photosynthesis and respiration, nutrient uptake and salt balance, water relations and drought tolerance. This analysis provides a basis for understanding performance of plant communities in a fluctuating environment, particularly the process of population regeneration. Main applications are in the area of global change research.
