Antonio Parra de la Torre

Antonio Parra de la Torre is a Professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha. His research focuses on fire ecology, post-fire recovery, and plant responses to drought in Mediterranean ecosystems.

• Education: PhD in Environmental Sciences from University of Castilla-La Mancha (2015), thesis titled "Modificación del régimen de precipitaciones en un matorral mediterráneo afectado por el fuego: respuestas de distintos grupos funcionales."

Parra's research explores how drought and fire interact to shape vegetation dynamics, soil functionality, and microbial communities. Key themes include:

• Post-fire regeneration strategies in seeder vs. resprouter shrubs
• Legacy effects of drought on ecosystem recovery
• Nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in burned shrublands
• Microwave radiation impacts on soil nutrients
• Citizen science applications in climate change monitoring

His work spans experimental manipulations of rainfall patterns, fire simulations, and long-term ecological monitoring. Major collaborations include studies with R. Brandon Pratt, Anna L Jacobsen, and José M Moreno.

Recent publications highlight trends in:

• Comparative drought resistance across Mediterranean and Californian shrubs
• Temporal seed dispersal patterns in Cistus-Erica shrublands
• Fire severity effects on Quercus ilex physiology
• Soil N2O emissions post-fire
• Microbial community shifts after experimental drought