Latin America Updates
Quick Access to Past Updates
Publication Updates
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Garrido-Ruiz, C.; Rubilar, R.; Bozo, D.; Pincheira, M.; Zapata, A.; Jara, O.; Cook, R.; Carter, D.; Albaugh, T.; Campoe, O. 2025. Potential of high- or low-solubility calcium to correct stem sinuosity in fast-growing Pinus radiata D. Don. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science, 55.
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Bozo, D.; Rubilar, R.; Campoe, O. C.; Alzamora, R. M.; Elissetche, J. P.; Valverde, J. C.; Pizarro, R.; Pincheira, M.; Valencia, J. C.; Sanhueza, C. 2024. Soil and Site Productivity Effects on Above- and Belowground Radiata Pine Carbon Pools at Harvesting Age. Plants, 13(24), 3482.
See: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13243482
Nájera De Ferrari, F.; Duarte, E.; Smith-Ramírez, C.; Rendon-Funes, A.; Sepúlveda Gonzalez, V.; Sepúlveda Gonzalez, N.; Levio, M.; Rubilar, R.; Stehr, A.; Merino, C.; Jofré, I.; Rojas, C.; Aburto, F.; Kuzyakov, Y.; Filimonenko, E.; Dörner, J.; Pereira, P.; Matus, F. 2024. Multi-temporal assessment of a wildfire chronosequence by remote sensing. MethodsX, 13.
See: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2024.103011
Ribas-Costa, V.A.; Gastón, A.; Bloszies, S.A.; Henderson, J.D.; Trlica, A.; Carter, D.R.; Rubilar, R.; Albaugh, T.J.; Cook, R.L. 2024. Nature vs. Nurture: Drivers of Site Productivity in Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Forests in the Southeastern US. Forest Ecology and Management, 572, 122334.
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Duarte, E.; Rubilar, R.; Matus, F.; Garrido-Ruiz, C.; Merino, C.; Smith-Ramirez, C.; Aburto, F.; Rojas, C.; Stehr, A.; Dörner, J.; et al. Published a manuscript analyzing the relationships between climate change, droughts and wildfires. Drought and Wildfire Trends in Native Forests of South-Central Chile in the 21st Century. Fire 2024, 7, 230.
See: https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7070230
Rafael A. Rubilar, Juan Carlos Valverde, Guillermo Barrientos and Otávio Camargo Campoe. Published a manuscript summarizing how environmental variables associated to climate change may affect the productivity of forest plantations. The manuscript also suggest adaptation strategies for forest plantations. Water and Temperature Ecophysiological Challenges of Forests Plantations under Climate Change. Forests 2024, 15(4), 654.
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April 2025
General Updates
More information on the annual meeting will be released soon. Please keep an eye out for a save-the-date soon.
Alejandro Pinochet completed his Master's degree in Forestry Sciences at the University of Concepción and defended his thesis, "Evaluating water use in Eucalyptus genotypes by estimating leaf area index from multispectral images," on January 31, 2025.
Dr. Rubilar and other national researchers organized the International Seminar, "Impacts of Wildfires on Watersheds and Sustainability of Forest Ecosystems," which was held at the University of Concepción on March 24, 2025.
Belén Moya began her PhD studies at the University of Concepción in March 2025. Her thesis focus will be a life cycle analysis (LCA) of second-generation wood products.
In January, Dr. Rubilar and researchers from Brazil and Chile visited the various FPC study sites established in Chile.
The UdeC FPC team has been conducting physiological and growth measurements in pine and Eucalyptus plantations and soil and forest floor sampling in native forests for the CENAMAD carbon sustainability study.
Publications
Garrido-Ruiz, C.; Rubilar, R.; Bozo, D.; Pincheira, M.; Zapata, A.; Jara, O.; Cook, R.; Carter, D.; Albaugh, T.; Campoe, O. 2025. Potential of high- or low-solubility calcium to correct stem sinuosity in fast-growing Pinus radiata D. Don. New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science, 55.
Belén Moya, a new PhD student in Forestry Sciences at the University of Concepción affiliated with the FPC and CENAMAD.
Dr. Rubilar with Chilean and Brazilian researchers visiting a Pinus radiata plantation in the RW7 control site with sandy soils (La Reforma). This study evaluates the effects of soil preparation, fertilization, and weed control on plantations in these conditions.
Measurement of soil moisture using a Delta T probe in a Pinus radiata plantation in the RW7C soil preparation intensity trials on a metamorphic soil (Talhuan).
Measurement of soil moisture using a neutron meter probe in a Pinus radiata plantation in the G x E x S trial on a metamorphic soil (Curimaqui).
Soil sampling for nutritional analysis in a Eucalyptus globulus plantation in the maximum productivity trial on a marine sediments soil (Santa Marcela).
Diameter at breast height (DBH) measurement in a native forest (Nothofagus obliqua) in the CENAMAD study on a recent volcanic ash site.
Soil penetration resistance using a penetrometer in a Pinus radiata plantation in the RW7C soil preparation intensity trials on a sandy soil (Danicalqui).
January 2025
General Updates
The UdeC FPC team traveled to Valdivia, Chile last October to present results from the FPC and CENAMAD studies at the IX Congreso Chileno de Ciencias Forestales.
The 2024 Latin America Annual Meeting was hosted by Smurfit Westrock in Cali, Colombia from November 19-21. The meeting included two days of presentations on key results from FPC and member studies. Meeting attendees also visited study sites to observe the results of various studies involving genetics, weed control, water use, and carbon balance, as well as a visit to a Smurfit Westrock nursery. Members can view presentations here.
Dr. Rafael Rubilar and the CENAMAD team organized the II International Thematic Forestry Congress: Strategies for Forest Climate Change Adaption meeting from December 4-5 at the Faculty of Forest Sciences at UdeC in Concepción, Chile. In addition to the FPC UDEC team, Dr. Otávio Campoe participated as a keynote speaker with his presentation Ecophysiological Research as a Tool to Cope with Climate Change in Forest Plantations.
Juan Carlos Valverde, a PhD student at UdeC, completed an internship with with Dr. Luis Apiolaza at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand (August-October 2024) and with Dr. Philip Smethurst at CSIRO in Tasmania, Australia (October-December).
The UdeC FPC team has been conducting measurements at the FPC and CENAMAD carbon sustainability study sites and installing sensors at the eucalyptus x initial planting density EuCarbHydro IV study site.
Publications
Bozo, D.; Rubilar, R.; Campoe, O. C.; Alzamora, R. M.; Elissetche, J. P.; Valverde, J. C.; Pizarro, R.; Pincheira, M.; Valencia, J. C.; Sanhueza, C. 2024. Soil and Site Productivity Effects on Above- and Belowground Radiata Pine Carbon Pools at Harvesting Age. Plants, 13(24), 3482.
Nájera De Ferrari, F.; Duarte, E.; Smith-Ramírez, C.; Rendon-Funes, A.; Sepúlveda Gonzalez, V.; Sepúlveda Gonzalez, N.; Levio, M.; Rubilar, R.; Stehr, A.; Merino, C.; Jofré, I.; Rojas, C.; Aburto, F.; Kuzyakov, Y.; Filimonenko, E.; Dörner, J.; Pereira, P.; Matus, F. 2024. Multi-temporal assessment of a wildfire chronosequence by remote sensing. MethodsX, 13.
Ribas-Costa, V.A.; Gastón, A.; Bloszies, S.A.; Henderson, J.D.; Trlica, A.; Carter, D.R.; Rubilar, R.; Albaugh, T.J.; Cook, R.L. 2024. Nature vs. Nurture: Drivers of Site Productivity in Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Forests in the Southeastern US. Forest Ecology and Management, 572, 122334.
Annual meeting attendees visiting a Smurfit Westrock operational pruning stand (top) and forest nursery (bottom).
Speakers at the II International Thematic Forestry Congress: Strategies for Forest Climate Change Adaptation.
Soil sampling at eroded sites at the FPC and CENAMAD carbon modelling sustainability project site.
Inventory on red clay soils at the FPC and CENAMAD carbon modelling sustainability project site.
Group photo from October 2024 at the IX Congreso Chileno de Ciencias Forestales in Valdivia, Chile.
Installation of a sap flow sensor at the EuCarbHydro eucalyptus x initial planting density trial located at the Rucamnqui Forest Farm in the Biobío region of Chile.
Installation of a soil TDR sensor at the EuCarbHydro eucalyptus x initial planting density trial located at the Rucamnqui Forest Farm in the Biobío region of Chile.
September 2024
General Updates
Dr. Rafael Rubilar was awarded a “RoadMap” grant (CENAMAD funding) to expand studies on forest productivity and site carbon. The project includes comparison baselines with eroded soils & native forest and an empirical model to estimate C using soil-site information.
The UdeC FPC Team has had an active season installing a EucarbHydro4 experiment with CMPC and two RW7B site prep intensity trials and two maximum productivity experiments with ARAUCO.
In August 2024, Fernanda Leite Cunha (UFLA- PhD student) traveled to Raleigh to work with the NC State FPC team as a Fulbright Scholar. In collaboration with Dr. Rachel Cook and Dr. Justin Baker, she will develop carbon life cycle modeling for paper and cellulose products produced in Brazil and investigate their impact on climate change mitigation.
Hyngrid Jaiely Araújo Félix (Master's student at UFLA) is conducting research on the use of carbon isotopes as a proxy for water use efficiency in eucalyptus in Brazil. Currently, she is doing a 2-month exchange in Concepción, Chile, with Dr. Rafael Rubilar at the Universidad de Concepción until November 2024.
Juan Carlos Valverde (UdeC -FPC PhD student) is conducting research to understand the relationship between water use and carbon balance in Eucalyptus. He is currently doing an internship in New Zealand with Dr. Luis Apiolaza at the University of Canterbury until October. After that, he will continue an internship with Dr. Phillip Smethurst at CSIRO Tasmania, where he will work on applying the APSIM model until December 2024.
Tim Albaugh, Matthew Sumnall, Otávio Campoe, Rafael Rubilar, Daniel Bozo, Vicent Ribas Costa, Ben Rose, and Sarah Puls attended IUFRO 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden, and many of our researchers gave presentations at the session titled Strategies and challenges for improving commercial forest plantations productivity and sustainability in North and South America.
Publications
Duarte, E.; Rubilar, R.; Matus, F.; Garrido-Ruiz, C.; Merino, C.; Smith-Ramirez, C.; Aburto, F.; Rojas, C.; Stehr, A.; Dörner, J.; et al. Published a manuscript analyzing the relationships between climate change, droughts and wildfires. Drought and Wildfire Trends in Native Forests of South-Central Chile in the 21st Century. Fire 2024, 7, 230.
Rafael A. Rubilar, Juan Carlos Valverde, Guillermo Barrientos and Otávio Camargo Campoe. Published a manuscript summarizing how environmental variables associated to climate change may affect the productivity of forest plantations. The manuscript also suggest adaptation strategies for forest plantations. Water and Temperature Ecophysiological Challenges of Forests Plantations under Climate Change. Forests 2024, 15(4), 654.
Installation of the RW7B soil preparation intensity trials on a sandy soil (Danicalqui) established in July 2024. Soil preparation by subsoiling (top) surface soil preparation (bottom).
Installation of acrylic tubes to measure soil moisture in the RW7B soil preparation intensity trials on a metamorphic soil (Talhuan) established in June 2024.
FPC team at the IUFRO International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
The new maximum productivity trial for Eucalyptus nitens on a volcanic ash soil site (Hijuela Chapale) established in June 2023.
Installation of tubes to measure soil moisture using a neutron scattering Hydroprobe at the RW7 sandy soil site.
UdeC graduate student, Daniel Bozo, speaking at the IUFRO International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
The new maximum productivity trial for Eucalyptus nitens on a volcanic ash soil site (Hijuela Chapale) established in June 2023.
Dr. Rafael Rubilar speaking at the IUFRO International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
Installation of tubes to measure soil moisture using a neutron scattering Hydroprobe at the RW7 sandy soil site.
FPC team at the IUFRO International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
Installation of acrylic tubes to measure soil moisture in the RW7B soil preparation intensity trials on a metamorphic soil (Talhuan) established in June 2024.
March 2024
General Updates
The Latin America Contact Meeting will be held in Cali, Colombia from November 18 to 22. More details will be made available soon.
The FPC team at UdeC is organizing the course “Uso del modelo de procesos APSIM para el modelamiento de cultivos forestales y agrícolas” that will be held in Concepción in May 2024. Organizers: Dr. Rubilar (FPC, UdeC) and Dr. Philip Smethurst (Csiro, Australia). More info here.
Daniel Bozo and Juan Carlos Valverde presented the results of their thesis work at “The 3rd International Electronic Conference on Plant Sciences” held January 15-17, 2024.
Daniel submitted his Master's thesis , and his thesis defense exam is scheduled for April 2024. He also received the “Anid 2024 National Doctoral Scholarship” to begin his doctoral studies at the University of Concepción in April. Congratulations!
Juan Carlos received funding to complete an internship from September to November 2024 in Australia and New Zealand with Dr. Philip Smethurst and Dr. Luis Apiolaza.
Otávio met with Fabricio Sebok and Harry Quicke at Envu in Brazil to present the updated results of FPC research related to competing vegetation control in Pine plantations.
The FPC at UFLA will be receiving support and collaboration from Envu on a new competing vegetation control in pine plantations study. A master's thesis will be generated from this work.
Otávio is sending two Brazilian PhD students (Fernanda Leite [fully funded by Fulbright] and Josiana Basílio [fully funded by CAPES]) from UFLA to conduct research at NCSU related to modeling productivity and carbon in Brazilian pine plantations.
Field Work
The new EuCarbHydro4 trial, evaluating species & stocking use of water, was established in Chile with CMPC. Complete sensor installation is planned for April 2024.
All ecophysiological summer seasonal evaluations (LAI, photosynthesis, and water content, crown description, and growth) for the G x E x S studies (stocking & genetics) in Chile (2 sites) were completed.
Soil pit sampling for nutritional & physical analyses was initiated at the RW7B FPC trials in the summer.
Annual growth measurements and summer leaf area estimation of the 2nd rotation RW7 (2 rotations same site) trial were completed.
Group photo from Otávio's visit at Envu
Eucahydro 4: Rucamanqui site. Genetics and spacing trial.
Leaf area index (LAI) measurement using a ceptometer in a Pinus radiata plantation at the LARW7 trial in sandy soils (Age=2) (Left). Annual crown description and measurement in a Pinus radiata plantation at the G x E x S trial in metamorphic soils (Age=6).
Eucahydro 4: Rucamanqui site. Genetics and spacing trial.
Growth measurement in a Pinus radiata plantation at the LARW7 trial in the Control treatment in sandy soils (Age=2).
Measurement of soil moisture using a neutron meter probe in a Pinus radiata plantation at the G x E x S trial in sandy soils (Age=8).
Growth measurement in a Pinus radiata plantation at the LARW7 trial in the Fertilization + Weed control treatment in sandy soils (Age=2).
Group photo from Otávio's visit at Envu.
The 2023 Latin America Contact Meeting was hosted by our cooperator, Klabin, in Telêmaco Borba, Paraná, Brazil, from November 7th to 9th. The meeting started with 12 presentations highlighting key results of FPC and cooperator studies in pine and eucalyptus plantations in Latin America. On the second day, participants embarked on a field trip to explore Klabin's local field trials, fostering robust scientific and operational discussions. These insights helped fuel the conversation during the FPC Latin American Strategic Planning session on the final day.
Daniel Bozo and Juan Carlos Valverde, UdeC graduate students, visited Dr. Otávio Campoe (UFLA) in Lavras Brazil, from November 13 to 17 with the support of the Chilean FOVI220029 grant project for international collaboration, directed by Dr. Rafael Rubilar. Results from Daniel and Juan Carlo’s graduate studies will be summarized in future publications in collaboration with UdeC.
Dr. Rafael Rubilar visited Dr. Phill Smethurst at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia from September 21 to October 6, supported by the Chilean FOVI220029 grant project of international collaboration. Dr. Rubilar & Dr. Smethurst developed the first stages for calibrating an APSIM model for Mediterranean Eucalyptus and solidified steps for further modeling challenges for water and carbon sustainability. Dr. Rubilar presented an extended seminar at CSIRO that attracted broad attention from scientists and the forest industry in Australia.
Dr. Efrain Duarte, postdoctoral researcher of the ANID ANILLO433815 FIRING grant project directed by Dr. Rafael Rubilar, visited Dr. David Forrester at CSIRO in Australia in September, supported by the Chilean FOVI220029 grant project of international collaboration. Dr. Duarte's internship focused on developing a geospatial model to estimate the impacts of wildfires on soil and forest productivity.
FPC staff and students organized the International Seminar “Forest and Plantations Sustainability” to celebrate Soils World Day on December 5th at the Faculty of Forest Sciences at Universidad de Concepcion (UdeC). Dr. Otávio Campoe was invited as a keynote speaker along with Dr. Rubilar and FPC graduate students, Maria Higuita (NCSU), Daniel Bozo, and Juan C. Valverde (UdeC). More information here.
Dr. Rafael Rubilar was invited as a keynote speaker at the IUFRO Congress “Enhancing the performance and sustainability of eucalypt plantations to broaden their benefits” in Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay. Dr. Rubilar presented the talk “Forest Management and Productivity: Environmental, social and economic benefits”. More information here.
Dr. Rafael Rubilar organized the International Congress “Mega Wildfires: effects of fire on forests and territories” from August 22 to 24 at the Faculty of Forest Sciences at UdeC. Different presentations analyzed the problem of wildfires from a perspective of impacts on the soil, hydrological processes, biodiversity, society and territory. Silvicultural alternatives were proposed within the context of climate change as preventive measures against wildfires. Additionally, diverse remote sensing tools were showcased for monitoring, prevention, and diagnosing wildfires.
Dr. Guillermo Barrientos, in collaboration with Dr. Rafael Rubilar and Dr. Efraín Duarte, has successfully secured the FONDEFID23I10011 grant project as the principal investigator. The objective of this project is to create a software tool for state institutions to facilitate decision-making in sustainable water management in priority areas and model potential impacts of climate change on water resources in Chile. Dr. Guillermo Barrientos, previously a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Concepción within the ANID Basal Cenamad FB210015 grant project led by Dr. Rafael Rubilar in 2022, transitioned to the role of an associate researcher at the Catholic University of Maule in Hydrological Modeling in March of the current year.
December 2023
Group photo from November 2023 at the Latin America Contact Meeting
Daniel (left), Juan Carlos (middle) and Dr. Otávio Campo (right) at the Universidade Federal de Lavras
Dr. Rafael Rubilar (top), Dr. Otávio Campoe (left), and Maria Higuita (right) presenting at the “Forest and Plantations Sustainability” seminar.
