Lene Rostgaard Nielsen

Lene Rostgaard Nielsen is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at the University of Copenhagen, specializing in Forest and Landscape Ecology. She has been a faculty member since 2003, progressing from Postdoctoral Fellow to her current position as Professor since 2022. Her work focuses on plant population genetics, particularly how tree species adapt to environmental changes and diseases.

Dr. Nielsen received her educational training at the University of Copenhagen:

• Ph.D. in Botany (2002)
• M.Sc. (cand. scient.) (1998)

Her research centers on plant population genetics with a focus on how long-lived tree species interact with and adapt to rapidly changing environments. She studies the impacts of increased temperatures, forest fragmentation, and human-introduced non-native species on endangered plants. Since 2006, her primary focus has been on genetic aspects of infectious diseases affecting host tree species, particularly ash dieback caused by Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. She investigates genetic mechanisms behind resistance and the role of microbiomes in tree resilience using field assessments, greenhouse experiments, and advanced molecular techniques including whole genome sequencing.

Analysis of Dr. Nielsen's recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong focus on ash dieback disease, tree-pathogen interactions, and forest conservation. Her work spans evolutionary biology, population genetics, and forest pathology, with particular emphasis on Fraxinus excelsior (common ash). She employs cutting-edge genomic approaches including GWAS, RNA-seq, and metabarcoding to understand tree resistance mechanisms. Her research increasingly examines the role of microbiomes in tree health and has expanded to investigate cross-resistance between different tree pathogens.

Dr. Nielsen has supervised numerous PhD students whose research aligns with her expertise:

• Feng Long: The Fraxinus excelsior holobiome (ongoing)
• Corrie Lynne Madsen: Detection of invasive pathogens in Danish forests (completed 2022)
• Kristin Lassen: Improving fruit production in Burkina Faso (completed 2016)
• Ida Hartvig: Conservation of Dalbergia timber species (completed 2015)
• Adja Diallo: Polyploidy in Acacia senegal (completed 2015)
• Lea Vig McKinney: Genetic aspects of ash dieback (completed 2013)

She teaches 'Processes in Nature 1 - Plants and Landscape' at the BSc level and 'Tropical Botany' at the MSc level, integrating her research expertise into classroom instruction.