Mr. Sharath Shyamappa | Forestry | Young Scientist Award

🎓 Early Academic Pursuits

Sharath Shyamappa Paligi embarked on his academic journey with a strong foundation in forestry, earning his Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the College of Forestry, Sirsi, Karnataka, India (2013-2017), where he graduated with a commendable GPA of 8.37/10. Demonstrating leadership, he was elected as a Class Representative (2014-2017). His academic prowess led him to pursue a Master of Science in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany (2017-2020), where he graduated with a GPA of 1.5 (Max:1.0). His thesis focused on xylem vulnerability curves in temperate tree species, reflecting his early interest in eco-physiological research. Continuing his academic excellence, he is currently completing his PhD in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology at the same institution (2021-2025, expected), focusing on water status dynamics, water consumption, and drought response of European beech, Douglas fir, and Norway spruce.

💼 Professional Endeavors

Sharath has been actively involved in research and academic roles, gaining experience across multiple institutions. His career highlights include:

• Scientific Assistant (2024-present) at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, where he teaches, supervises theses, and manages research projects.
• PhD Researcher (2021-2023) in the RTG2300 project, overseeing sap flow and soil moisture studies.
• Research Assistant (2020-2021), analyzing global productivity data for the CRC300 project in Indonesia.
• Research Assistant (2019-2021) at Würzburg University, specializing in eco-physiological techniques.
• Student Assistant (2018-2019), working on socio-ecological systems in India’s rural-urban interface.
• Intern (2014) at ATREE, Bangalore, contributing to Myristica malabarica conservation efforts.

🔬 Contributions and Research Focus On Forestry

Sharath is an innovative researcher specializing in forest eco-physiology, tree water dynamics, and climate resilience of forests. His work has significantly contributed to understanding drought tolerance in temperate tree species. He has developed methodologies to assess xylem safety and efficiency, installed and maintained sap flow monitoring systems, and conducted large-scale field and lab experiments. His research is pivotal in addressing climate change challenges in forestry.

🌍 Impact and Influence

His research has provided valuable insights into forest ecosystems’ response to environmental stressors. Through his collaborations and mentoring of students, he has played a crucial role in shaping the next generation of eco-physiologists. His findings on xylem vulnerability and water stress adaptation inform forestry management practices.

📚 Academic Citations

harath has 8 peer-reviewed publications, with a h-index of 4 and 56 citations. His notable works include studies on water potential measurements, competition intensity on tree architecture, mycorrhization under drought conditions, and comparative xylem embolism resistance.

🏅 Awards and Honors 

• Recognized for outstanding research contributions in forest sciences.
• Multiple poster and oral presentations at prestigious international conferences like EGU, Copernicus Meetings, and Xylem International Meeting.
• Successfully mentored 14 bachelor’s and master’s students, contributing to the academic community.

🚀 Legacy and Future Contributions

Sharath aims to further ecological research on forest resilience, expand interdisciplinary collaborations, and develop innovative solutions for sustainable forest management. His work in forest eco-physiology will continue to shape global forestry policies, ensuring climate-resilient forest ecosystems.

Publications Top Notes

1️⃣ Accuracy of the pneumatic method for estimating xylem vulnerability to embolism in temperate diffuse-porous tree species (📜 BioRxiv) – 19 citations 🏅 (📅 2021)

2️⃣ Branch xylem vascular adjustments in European beech in response to decreasing water availability across a precipitation gradient (🌳 Tree Physiology) – 14 citations 🔬 (📅 2022)

3️⃣ Water status dynamics and drought tolerance of juvenile European beech, Douglas fir and Norway spruce trees as dependent on neighborhood and nitrogen supply (🌱 Tree Physiology) – 5 citations 🌿 (📅 2024)

4️⃣ Assessing the agreement between the pneumatic and the flow‐centrifuge method for estimating xylem safety in temperate diffuse‐porous tree species (💧 Plant Biology) – 5 citations 📊 (📅 2023)

5️⃣ Influence of juvenile growth on xylem safety and efficiency in three temperate tree species (🌲 Forests) – 5 citations 📈 (📅 2022)

6️⃣ Variability in growth-determining hydraulic wood and leaf traits in Melia dubia across a steep water availability gradient in southern India (🌳 Forest Ecology and Management) – 5 citations 🌾 (📅 2022)

7️⃣ Mycorrhization, root tip vitality and biomass of Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies and Pseudotsuga menziesii in monospecific and mixed combinations under water stress (🌱 Trees) – 3 citations 🔍 (📅 2024)

8️⃣ Effect of competition intensity and neighbor identity on architectural traits of Fagus sylvatica (🌿 Trees) – 2 citations 📐 (📅 2024)

9️⃣ Continuous Monitoring of Stem Water Potential in Deciduous Forests: Assessing a Novel Microtensiometer for Ecosystem Hydraulics Research (📡 EGU General Assembly Abstracts) – 📅 2024

🔟 Water consumption of mature European beech and Douglas fir trees growing in pure and mixed stands (💦 EGU General Assembly Abstracts) – 📅 2024

1️⃣1️⃣ Water uptake depth of European beech, Douglas fir and Norway spruce—species-specific patterns, seasonal dynamics and mixture effects (🌊 EGU General Assembly Abstracts) – 📅 2024

1️⃣2️⃣ Trockentoleranz alternativer Baumarten auf Versuchsflächen (🌲 LWF aktuell) – 📅 2022

1️⃣3️⃣ In-situ xylem water potential measurements using microtensiometers (🧪 Protocol) – 📅 2022