Camilla Ruø Rasmussen

Camilla Ruø Rasmussen is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at the University of Copenhagen, specializing in Geography, People and Processes. Her research focuses on plant resource utilization, particularly examining how plants access water and nitrogen in soil environments, with emphasis on sustainable agricultural systems.

Research Focus

Dr. Rasmussen investigates how plants make use of available resources and obtain them when scarce, with particular focus on root distribution and behavior in soil. She examines water and nitrogen dynamics—resources that frequently limit plant growth but cause environmental damage when present in excess. Her work aims to create sustainable agroecosystems that are drought-resilient, efficiently utilize nutrients, and prevent nutrient leaching and greenhouse gas formation.

Her specific research questions include:

• How plants cope when water is only available in deeper parts of their root zone (opportunistic vs. conservative strategies)
• How plant nitrogen uptake near soil surface prevents nitrous oxide formation
• How deep soil nitrogen uptake prevents leaching
• Plant-plant interactions including competition, recognition, collaboration, and harm

Research Trends

Dr. Rasmussen's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on deep root systems, particularly in crops like rapeseed that can access resources at depths of 4 meters. Her work integrates field experimentation with advanced techniques including isotopic tracing, DNA analysis, and machine learning for root imaging. A recurring theme is how deep resource acquisition affects plant responses to drought and nutrient availability, with practical applications for sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation.

Teaching and Leadership

As a theme leader for landscape experimentation at the Center for Landscape Research in Sustainable Agricultural Futures (Land-CRAFT), Dr. Rasmussen contributes to interdisciplinary research on sustainable agriculture. She teaches several courses including Laboratory Methods in Geoscience, Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Challenge, Problem-Oriented Project Work, Field Course in Physical Geography, and Carbon Storage and Biological Interactions in Soil.