PhD Researchers in the African savanna

PhD Researchers in the African savanna

March 18, 2025

Amidst the vast and dynamic landscapes of the African savannas, our dedicated PhD students, Luisa Pflumm and Konstantin Müller, are currently embarking on an extensive research mission. Together with Dr. Mirjana Bevanda, they are conducting environmental research using means of UAS/air-borne/space-borne remote sensing to better understand the impact of fire and drought on these ecosystems.
Equipped with various technology, the team is collecting multi-spectral and thermal Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS) data to analyze the vegetation. By collaborating closely with botanists, they aim to gain deeper insights into how environmental changes influence savanna ecosystems over time.
Their work requires a range of specialized equipment, including an Emlid for precise positioning and Ground Control Points (GCPs) to ensure accurate cross-calibration of their data. These tools allow them to capture high-resolution imagery and detect subtle changes in vegetation that might be invisible to space-borne sensors.
Fire and drought are two of the most significant natural disturbances affecting African savannas. Understanding how vegetation responds to these stressors is crucial for conservation efforts, sustainable land management, and predicting future ecological shifts under climate change. By leveraging remote sensing techniques, their research is helping to bridge the gap between field observation and large-scale environmental monitoring.
Their work is not only a testament to scientific curiosity but also of collaboration. Working alongside local and international experts, they are integrating diverse knowledge systems to create a more comprehensive understanding of savanna dynamics.
As their field campaign unfolds, we look forward to the insights they will bring back. Stay tuned for updates on their journey and discoveries from the heart of Africa’s savannas!

you may also like:

NetCDA acitivities at EGU

NetCDA acitivities at EGU

We had a wonderful day yesterday at the EGU with NetCDA. We were pleasantly surprised by the great interest in climate-related capacity development activities in Africa. Throughout the day, we engaged in enriching discussions with many inspiring colleagues from a wide...

A full day of NetCDA activities at the EGU

A full day of NetCDA activities at the EGU

The first part of our EGU activities today has been successfully concluded. We had nine excellent presentations presenting various capacity development projects in cooperation between Europe and Africa on the topic of climate change. We're looking forward to the...

Invited Talk at the University of Zurich

Invited Talk at the University of Zurich

EORC PI Florian Betz was invited by the group of Remote Sensing of Environmental Changes at the University of Zurich to talk about his research on satellite time series based analysis of river systems. The visit was a great opportunity to exchange ideas and elaborate...

Snow and ice research in the Arctic

Snow and ice research in the Arctic

Our colleagues Dr. Mirjana Bevanda and Dr. cand. Jakob Schwalb-Willmann recently conducted another UAS-based fieldwork in the Arctic, focusing on temporal variability of snow and ice property. Utilizing VTOL UAS platforms equipped with LiDAR, multispectral, and...

Exploring Wetland Ecosystems in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve

Exploring Wetland Ecosystems in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve

As part of our ongoing collaboration with our EOCap4Africa project partners, two members of the EORC (Dr. Insa Otte, Lilly Schell) at the University of Würzburg recently took a field trip to the Rhön Biosphere Reserve with our visiting scientists. We visited two...