CERNAS

Research Center
for Natural Resources,
Envioronment and Society

Liliana Neto Duarte

Liliana Neto Duarte
I am a PhD student in Biosciences at the University of Coimbra, specializing in invasive plant management. I hold a Master's degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Évora (2016) and a degree in Environmental Sciences - Applied Ecology from the same university (2006). After finishing the degree, I have worked on NGO projects with forest planning and land use cartography, some of them focusing on managing invasive Acacia species. I have also worked in the application of two winning POSEUR funding programs. During my Master's program, I have studied the invasion of native plant communities in Southern Portugal, which results were published in 2020. As a full-time researcher since 2017, I have presented workshops, conferences, and training sessions on invasive plant management to municipalities, schools, and the general public. My main research interest is to understand how can native plant communities win the battle against Acacia spp. invasive plants. In my PhD research, I am investigating the effects of physical and biological control methods on reducing the seed bank and seed production of Acacia longifolia. Furthermore, I am also studying the historical and landscape transformation since the introduction of Acacia longifolia in coastal areas. to understand which factors led to its invasion. Ultimately, my goal is to develop integrated strategies for the management of A. longifolia and the restoration of native plant communities. I am currently supported by FCT PhD grant SFRH/BD/145222/2019. During a short break in my doctoral studies, I have contributed to mapping the habitats of the Natura 2000 network in collaboration with Floradata. Furthermore, I participated in the Portuguese National Plan proposal for the control of Baccharis spp. and contributed to the development of a Manual of Good Practices for the control of woody invasive plants.