Maria Leunda

Dr. Maria Leunda is a Postdoc researcher at the Institute of Plant Sciences (University of Bern), specializing in Paleogenomics & Vegetation Modelling. Her work focuses on reconstructing past environmental and climatic conditions using multi-proxy approaches, including lake sediments, ice cores, and ancient DNA analysis. She investigates long-term vegetation dynamics, human-environment interactions, and the impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems.

Her research spans the Pyrenees, Alps, and Iberian Peninsula, with notable contributions to understanding Holocene vegetation shifts, glacial retreat, and industrial-era environmental pollution. She is part of interdisciplinary projects like the Marboré Symphony, blending science with art to raise awareness about climate change. Dr. Leunda's lab is located at the Birrlihus building (H-203), and she collaborates with institutions like the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology.

Key Research Themes:

• Paleoenvironmental reconstruction via aDNA and sediment records
• Glacier and ice cave microbiology
• Human-induced environmental changes in mountain regions
• Climate-driven vegetation transitions

Her recent work highlights alarming ice melt rates in Pyrenean caves and the vulnerability of ancient glaciers to modern warming. She has contributed to global studies on aridity trends and biodiversity loss linked to human activity.