William Hammond

Dr. William Hammond is a Plant Ecophysiologist and Global Change Ecologist at the University of Florida, specializing in plant vascular systems' response to extreme environmental conditions. His research bridges basic and applied science, focusing on drought tolerance mechanisms, agricultural resilience, and remote sensing applications to monitor plant health and ecosystem dynamics. Hammond's work emphasizes understanding how hydraulic failure in plants leads to mortality and explores technological solutions like hyperspectral imaging and volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing for early stress detection.

Research Interests:

• Plant hydraulics and climate change impacts
• Forest die-off mechanisms
• Urban tree ecophysiology through the UTEN network
• Agricultural adaptations to drought
• Remote sensing for invasive species and canopy cover mapping

His recent studies highlight hotter-drought fingerprints driving global forest mortality, the need for improved aflatoxin detection in crops, and the role of cover crops in soil moisture retention. Hammond collaborates internationally through initiatives like the Urban Trees Ecophysiology Network (UTEN) to address urban forestry challenges under climate change.