Project description
Seed dispersal by animals for forest regeneration
As wildfires become more common in Europe, it is increasingly important to examine forest regeneration processes and expand the focus beyond plants. Supported by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SeedFire project will explore seed dispersal by animals as a means of regenerating forests after wildfires. Through the use of network analysis and spatial models, scientists can determine how important animals, more precisely birds, are for ensuring ecosystem resilience. This research project will be based in Portugal and Spain and seeks to develop nature-based solutions.
Objective
This project aims to quantify the contribution of animal-mediated seed dispersal to post-fire ecosystem recovery, delivering evidence-based strategies to strengthen forest resilience across Europe. I will achieve this by linking macroecological patterns to local mechanisms through the implementation of cutting-edge tools in network analysis, trait-based ecology, and temporal and spatially-explicit modelling. Hosted by the University of Coimbra (Portugal) under the supervision of Prof. Ruben Heleno, a leading expert in community ecology and seed dispersal, and with a secondment at CIDE-CSIC (Spain) under Prof. Juli Pausas, a world authority in fire ecology, I will receive advanced training that complements my expertise in species-specific interactions and spatial ecology. This interdisciplinary environment will allow me to expand traditionally plant-centred fire ecology with an interaction-focused perspective, fostering new research synergies and strengthening an international network of collaborators. Findings will be transferred to scientists, policymakers, and society through high-impact publications, international conferences, policy briefs, and tailored outreach initiatives, from press releases to public talks and visual storytelling. By addressing a critical yet overlooked driver of post-fire regeneration, SeedFire will not only fill a major knowledge gap but also provide me with a diverse, competitive skill-set to secure a permanent position in ecology in the near future, directly aligned with translating ecological knowledge into effective, nature-based solutions for fire-resilient landscapes in Europe.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3004-531 Coimbra
Portugal
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.