Last month, our lab had the pleasure of hosting Rafael Bernardi, a researcher from Uruguay. Rafael’s visit was an exciting and enriching experience for all of us, providing numerous opportunities to discuss projects, research papers, and potential new collaborations.

During his visit, Rafael delivered an insightful seminar on the impacts of fire and grazing on tropical forests and grasslands. This seminar, titled “How fire and livestock shape tree cover and influence forest-grassland transitions in subtropical and tropical ecosystems,” was held on November 8, 2022, at the Beytepe Campus of Hacettepe University. It attracted a significant audience and generated considerable interest.

In addition to the seminar, Rafael actively participated in our lab activities. He joined our discussions on various research topics and offered valuable feedback on our current projects. Specifically, during field trips and discussions in the laboratory meetings, we had opportunities to develop a project regarding the drivers of woody vegetation in Central Anatolia, which we have already started to work on.

We anticipate more opportunities to collaborate on new projects to enhance our understanding of the drivers of woody cover in various ecosystems.