June 4, 2021

The RIVEAL project has been supporting Ivana Lozanovska during her PhD studies on Forestry Engineering and Natural Resources, under the Sustainable Forests and Products (SUSFOR) PhD Programme funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. The PhD thesis entitled “Functional diversity as indicator of ecosystem functioning in Mediterranean riparian forests” was supervised by Francisca C. Aguiar and Maria Teresa Ferreira, from School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon. The thesis had the objectives of assessing the worldwide application of functional trait-based approaches in riparian forests; determine the key habitat and regional environmental factors that influence the functional diversity of different forests; and assess the functional diversity patterns of aquatic plants and riparian woody vegetation to streamflow regulation. Ivana Lozanovska ended her PhD on the 2nd of June, with the highest praise (Approved with Distinction cum Laude). Congratulations Ivana and hopes for a prosperous future!