About

Julia Rieder is a scientist at the Department of Remote Sensing at the University of Würzburg (JMU). She studied applied physical geography in Würzburg, with a focus on environmental analysis and geospatial methods. Her research focuses on identifying abiotic and biotic drivers of drought responses in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) by bringing together field observations and LiDAR-derived structural information. She integrates airborne and mobile laser scanning with in-situ measurements of soil properties and tree vitality, using LiDAR-derived microtopography, canopy gap dynamics, and tree-level analyses to investigate the drivers of variability in drought responses of beech trees. Her work emphasizes programming and quantitative approaches to link forest structure and environmental conditions with ecological processes.