Development and Integration of Individual-Tree Growth and Yield Models for Scenario-Based Forest Plantation Management
The main objective of Isáira’s projects is to actively collaborate in research focused on individual-tree growth and yield models for planted forests. Her role involves integrating and refining existing models, developing new ones, and embedding them into a comprehensive framework for scenario simulations. These simulations assess how different levels of competition, photosynthesis, leaf area, hydrology, […]
EucXylo Research Highlights: Publications from 2025
In 2025, EucXylo researchers, students, and alumni contributed to peer-reviewed publications across leading international journals. Together, these studies advance our understanding of Eucalyptus growth, wood formation, and drought resilience across multiple biological scales. Below are some of the publications of 2025. UnderstandinPhysiological and morphological responses of Eucalyptus to drought Singini, Eckert & Drew (2025) – […]
Celebrating New Graduates: December 2025
The EucXylo team at the Department of Forest and Wood Science (DFWS), Stellenbosch University, is delighted to extend heartiest congratulations to two outstanding individuals who have just completed their postgraduate research with distinction: Their success highlights the strength and vitality of our research community, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements. Spotlight on Their […]
EucXylo Researcher Wins International Award for Low-Cost Wireless Dendrometer System
We are pleased to congratulate Chris Erasmus on receiving an award at the FAO World Food Forum, held at the FAO headquarters in Rome. The award acknowledges his work on developing a low-cost wireless dendrometer and environmental sensing system designed to support precision forestry. The system enables researchers and foresters to collect accurate, near real-time, […]
Physiological trait plasticity and drought resilience in Eucalyptus
As drought events intensify under global climate change, understanding how trees survive and adjust under water-limited conditions is becoming increasingly important. Eucalyptus, with over 800 species distributed across diverse climates, offers an ideal system for investigating drought responses through physiological and morphological flexibility, also known as trait plasticity. Dr. Edith Singini’s research, supervised by Prof. […]
Exploring the Eucalyptus Leaf Microbiome: Understanding the Hidden World Within Leaves
PhD candidate Anika Keuck, under the supervision of Prof. David Drew, Prof. Francois Roets, and Prof. Bernard Slippers, is investigating the leaf microbiome of Eucalyptus, the community of microorganisms that inhabit leaf tissues. Her research aims to better understand the composition and dynamics of these microbial communities, focusing on how they vary under different biological […]
Lasers and Limbs: Mapping Eucalyptus Tree Architecture with Terrestrial LiDAR
Understanding how trees grow and adapt to their surroundings is key to advancing sustainable forestry. During the 2025 Hans Merensky EucXylo Research Meeting, Oluwaseun Gakenou shared insights from his work using Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) to study the structural variation among young Eucalyptus grandis trees grown in a common garden experiment. His presentation, titled “Lasers […]
Understanding How Young Eucalypts Adapt: A Closer Look at Photosynthesis, Water Use, and Leaf Structure
Eucalyptus trees are not just iconic symbols of the southern hemisphere, they’re also key players in forestry, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation. But how do young Eucalyptus trees cope with different environments? That’s the question at the heart of Erin Ramsay’s research, which explores how juvenile Eucalyptus species manage water use, photosynthesis, and structural growth […]
Celebrating EucXylo Hans Merensky day.
On 13 October 2025, the EucXylo team gathered at the beautiful Erinvale Hotel and Conference Venue for our annual Hans Merensky EucXylo Research Meeting. The day brought together students, researchers, and collaborators to share ideas, celebrate progress, and connect through a shared passion for tree science and innovation. The programme featured a diverse range of […]
Post-doctoral Fellowship: Data-Driven Forest Science
EucXylo | Stellenbosch University Location: Stellenbosch, South AfricaStart date: February 2026 (negotiable)Application deadline: 30 November 2025 About the Project The Hans Merensky Chair in Advanced Modelling of Growth and Wood Formation in Eucalypts (EucXylo) has launched the IMPACT Open-Air Lab, a pioneering forest research facility in Somerset West.This site integrates sensors, satellites, and data science […]
