Susanne Scheffknecht

Susanne Scheffknecht is a researcher at the Institute of Botany within the Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). Her work focuses on plant ecology, particularly in tropical ecosystems and agroforestry settings like coffee plantations.

Dr. Scheffknecht's research interests span multiple areas of plant science:

• Tropical epiphyte ecology, particularly bromeliads and orchids
• Wood anatomy and tree physiology, especially in oak species
• Plant adaptation to different environmental conditions
• Comparative studies between natural forests and agricultural ecosystems
• Plant-water relations and drought responses

Her publication record demonstrates sustained research activity from 2006 to 2023, showing an evolution from field-based ecological studies of epiphytes in Mexican coffee plantations to more detailed anatomical and physiological investigations of tree species. Recent work incorporates advanced 3D anatomical analysis and experimental approaches to understand plant responses to environmental stressors like drought.

Dr. Scheffknecht has contributed to significant collaborative research projects, including the FWF-funded 'Epiphyte colonisation of coffee plantations' project (2005-2008), where she worked with principal investigator Peter Hietz. Her research has been presented at international conferences including the Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation in Montpellier, France (2016).

Her work bridges fundamental plant science with practical applications in sustainable agriculture, forest management, and biodiversity conservation, providing valuable insights into how plants adapt to changing environmental conditions in both natural and human-modified landscapes.