University of Innsbruck

Stefan Mayr

“I study abiotic and biotic stress effects and responses of mountain plants, focusing on plant hydraulics, drought and frost effects, and underlying structure-function relationships. My interests also include applied aspects, such as on restoration techniques, fruit trees, forest pathogens, wildfires in alpine forests or the ecophysiology of urban trees. Scientific activities are based on cooperations with international and national partners and performed together with numerous bachelor, master and PhD students. I received awards for scientific, teaching and science communication activities. I am holding a full professorship at the University of Innsbruck and leading the university research area Mountain Regions.”

Projects

Selected Publications

Mayr S, Schmid P, Beikircher B, Feng F, Badel E (2020) Die hard: timberline conifers survive annual winter embolism. New Phytologist 226, 13-20. DOI: 10.1111/nph.16304

  • Bär A, Michaletz ST, Mayr S (2019) Fire effects on tree physiology. New Phytologist 223, 1728-1741. DOI: 10.1111/nph.15871
  • Losso A, Bär A, Dämon B, Dullin C, Ganthaler A, Petruzellis F, Savi T, Tromba G, Nardini A, Mayr S, Beikircher B (2019) Insights from in vivo micro-CT analysis: testing the hydraulic vulnerability segmentation in Acer pseudoplatanus and Fagus sylvatica seedlings. New Phytologist 221, 1831-1842. DOI: 10.1111/nph.15549
  • Choat B, Jansen S, Brodribb TJ, Cochard H, Delzon S, Bhaskar R, Bucci SJ, Field TS, Gleason SM, Hacke UG, Jacobsen AL, Lens F, Maherali H, Martínez-Vilalta J, Mayr S, Mencuccini M, Mitchell PJ, Nardini A, Pittermann J, Pratt RB, Sperry JS, Westoby M, Wright IJ, Zanne AE (2012) Global convergence in the vulnerability of forests to drought. Nature 491, 752-755. DOI: 10.1038/nature11688
  • Mayr S, Sperry JS (2010) Freeze-thaw induced embolism in Pinus contorta: centrifuge experiments validate the “thaw-expansion hypothesis” but conflict with ultrasonic emission data. New Phytologist 185, 1016-1024. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.03133.x

All Publications ORCID Google Scholar

Additional research achievements

  • Ars docendi – Staatspreis für exzellente Lehre 2015
  • Scientific Award of the Princedom Liechtenstein 2012
  • Wissenschaftskommunikationspreis FWF 2006
  • APART-Stipendium, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 2004 to 2007
  • Science Communication Prize FWF, 2006

All Research achievements

Teaching

  • Plant eco-physiology
  • Alpine plant ecology
  • Biophysics
  • Nature protection and sustainability
  • Science communication

Courses