Exploring the African Savanna: PhD research on Drought and Fire Impacts through Earth Observation

Exploring the African Savanna: PhD research on Drought and Fire Impacts through Earth Observation

July 19, 2025

Our PhD student Luisa Pflumm and EAGLE MSc student Anna Bischof are currently engaged in a challenging research project funded by DFG on the African savanna, investigating the ecological impacts of drought and fire using advanced remote sensing techniques.

Under the guidance of Dr. Mirjana Bevanda, the project explores how Earth observation can inform ecological research with high-resolution spatial and temporal data—a critical asset when studying dynamic environments like the savanna. By integrating multi-sensor satellite data and field-based observations, the team aims to better understand the feedbacks between vegetation, climate stress, and fire regimes.

Supporting the project is Antonio Castaneda-Gomez, who brings valuable expertise in thermal UAS mapping and mission planning, further enriching the research with high-precision, airborne data.

This work highlights the growing importance of remote sensing in ecology, where tools such as satellite imagery and drone-based thermal measurements provide new pathways to monitor environmental changes at scale.

Stay tuned for more updates from the field!


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