From forest ecology to ecological silviculture: lessons from Valdivian and Patagonian temperate forests

Daniel P. Soto, PhD

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Time: 10 am
Place: F 01 (Büsgenweg 1)

This talk will draw on research conducted in Valdivian and Patagonian temperate forests, focusing on Nothofagus forest ecology, forest structural complexity, and the role of silviculture and natural disturbance along environmental gradients. The speaker will explore how these findings connect to broader questions in forest ecology, -management, and -restoration. A particular focus will be placed on the use of LiDAR data, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) specifically, to address these questions.

Daniel P. Soto, PhD is faculty member at the Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He holds a Ph.D. in Forest Ecosystems and Society from Oregon State University and M.Sc. in forest resources at Universidad Austral de Chile. His research focuses on forest ecology, ecological silviculture, forest restoration, and the structural complexity of temperate forests, with a strong emphasis on Nothofagus-dominated ecosystems in temperate region of South America (Valdivian and Patagonian forests). His current work combines field-based forest ecology, silvicultural experiments, and LiDAR/TLS approaches to understand how disturbance, climate, and management shape forest structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning.