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Nicola Stevens is an Associate Professor of Physical Geography with a focus on biodiversity and climate change at the University of Oxford. Her current research interests concentrate on understanding the dynamics of African grassy ecosystems and their responses to alterations in fire and herbivory regimes against a backdrop of changing CO2 concentrations. She is particularly engaged with the phenomenon of woody encroachment in open ecosystems, exploring how invasive native woody species affect ecological balance. Stevens aims to enhance predictive abilities regarding future species ranges in the context of global changes, emphasizing the mechanistic understanding of range edges in disturbance-limited systems. Her ongoing projects are primarily situated in Southern and Eastern Africa, where she assesses the impacts of climate extremes on savanna ecosystems. Stevens is also involved in teaching and supervising graduate students, guiding them through significant research endeavors related to functional responses of savanna ecosystems to climate variations.
Department of Politics and International Relations - Higher Level English requirement.