How did you experience your arrival in Germany?
I first arrived in Berlin and took a German language course for two months. Then I moved to Potsdam in July 2025. It was a truly beautiful time of year to arrive in a new city, so I could enjoy spending time outdoors. Since this is my first time in Europe, many things were new and challenging. But my colleagues were very helpful and assisted me when I arrived here. I was very lucky to find a suitable apartment quickly. The University of Potsdam’s Welcome Center provided me with information and advice during my apartment search, which was very helpful.
Which project are you working on during your stay at the University of Potsdam?
I want to understand how plant communities, i.e., groups of plants that coexist in a single location and share the same environment, reorganize themselves in the face of global change. Worldwide, human-induced changes such as climate change and intensive land use are altering plant communities. Some species are declining in numbers, others are migrating to new regions, and still others are losing their internal structure. Who coexists with whom, which interactions are important, and who gets filtered out? My research seeks to understand the “rules” behind these changes. I am specifically interested in the following questions: Which combination of land-use change and climatic conditions makes these communities more vulnerable? Where is climate more important in structuring communities? If we understand this, we can better predict biodiversity loss and help protect ecosystems before critical thresholds are crossed.
What data do your studies draw upon?
I use a global dataset from the BIODESERT network – a research project funded by the European Research Council under the Horizon 2020 program and led by Dr. Fernando T. Maestre. The network was designed to investigate how climate change and grazing pressure affect the structure and functioning of arid regions worldwide. The participating teams collected data in 25 countries across six continents on plant community composition, bioproductivity, and biodiversity, as well as key soil properties related to fertility and carbon storage. Since this dataset includes plant communities under various climatic conditions and with varying intensities of land use and grazing, it addresses my research questions in a unique way.
What do you hope to achieve with your research, and what are your expectations?
By the end of the year, I would like to complete the main analysis of the data and draw initial conclusions from it. Based on ecological theory, I assume that, due to increasingly harsh conditions, environmental filtering will become more and more important for the composition of plant communities. As a result, some plant species could decline or disappear entirely. Furthermore, grazing can reshape competition among species or alter their interactions with one another.
Why did you choose the University of Potsdam for your research stay, and how did you get in touch with Prof. Zurell?
The Ecology/Macroecology research group has a strong quantitative background, and I was interested in learning and applying new analytical tools. The group combines expertise in ecological theory, modeling, and large-scale data analysis, which is ideal for me. More broadly, their ecological research questions also align with my own research interests. I joined the research group through a call for applications in the Henriette Herz Scouting Program. After a successful application, Damaris Zurell nominated me for the Humboldt Research Fellowship.
You are a researcher at INIBIOMA (CONICET, National University of Comahue) in Argentina. How does the Argentine research system differ from the German one?
There are definitely clear differences. Most researchers work at CONICET, the most important government agency promoting the development of science and technology in Argentina. Traditionally, a Ph.D. in Argentina is closely linked to an academic career. Anyone who begins a dissertation truly wants to become a researcher in the public sector. Doctoral students and postdoctoral positions are funded through competitive grants. Advancement within the system depends on formal evaluations based on research experience, publications, funding, and participation in research projects. In recent years, however, funding shortages have affected the entire research system, and conditions have become increasingly precarious. While a doctoral degree used to lead to a permanent position, there are now more researchers than available positions, making career advancement difficult. At the same time, opportunities for postdocs to move into industry or self-employment are rather limited compared to countries like Germany.
Dr. Mariana Chiuffo is a visiting researcher and Humboldt Research Fellow in the Ecology/Macroecology research group at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biology of the University of Potsdam until the end of 2026.
This article appeared in the university magazine Portal - Eins 2026 „Inklusion“.