Background
Paula is a global change ecologist specialising in ecological modelling, biomonitoring, and biogeography, with a focus on polar and extreme environments. Her research seeks to advance species distribution modelling by integrating mechanistic, ecophysiological, and remote sensing approaches to better predict biodiversity responses to climate change. As part of SAEF, Paula will develop new process-based frameworks for modelling Antarctic terrestrial vegetation, linking field data, ecophysiological traits, and microscale environmental variables. This work aims to improve the ecological realism and predictive power of biodiversity models, supporting conservation strategies and enhancing our understanding of ecosystem dynamics under past, present, and future climate conditions.