As a young scientist, trained in the physical and biological aspects of the plant-atmosphere interphase, I strive to approach my research questions from an interdisciplinary perspective. My research aims to advance the understanding of crop-atmosphere interactions in a changing climate. I am particularly interested in studying plant physiological responses to environmental stress in field conditions. My most common research subjects are perennial woody crops of importance for Mediterranean climate regions. My approach is to combine an assembly of field-based observational experiments, models, and data science. The ultimate goal of my scientific questions is to gain a mechanistic understanding of physical and biological responses and feedbacks resulting from crops being exposed to unusual or extreme environmental conditions. I utilize methods from diverse disciplines, which includes ecophysiology, biophysics, micrometeorology, atmospheric science, field-based and remote sensing, engineering, data science and high-performance computing. My motivation is to deliver research that pushes the boundaries of our current understanding of how plants interact with their environment, which, ultimately, can be translated into sustainable/climate-smart agricultural practices.
Currently, I also use some of my "free time" towards the research project "Evaluating land-atmosphere interactions and extreme events over South America using a next-generation variable-resolution Earth-System model: Snowpack, Extreme Precipitation, and Wildfires". In this project, we use Variable Climate Resolution Modeling tools to advance the understanding of climate processes over the Andes.
Publications
Calderon-Orellana, A., Bambach, N., Aburto, F., Calderon, M.. Post-veraison Water Decits Synchronize Color Development among Berries in Crimson Seedless Grapevines.", American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. Raab, N., Meza, F. J., Franck, N., & Bambach, N. Empirical stomatal conductance models reveal that the isohydric behavior of an Acacia caven Mediterranean Savannah scales from leaf to ecosystem. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 213, 203-216, 2015.
Bambach N., Farlin J., Kent E., Levy M., Nixon D., Rhoades A, Whipple A. Integrating Science, Management, and Policy for the Future of Water in California. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 94(29), 256-256, 2014.
Bambach N., Meza F.J., Gilabert H., Miranda M., Impacts of climate change on the distribution of species and communities in the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem Regional Environmental Change. Regional Environmental Change,13:1245-1257, 2013.
Vicuna S., Gironas J., Meza F., Cruzat M.L., Jelinek M., Bustos E., Poblete D., Bambach N. Exploring possible connections between hydrologic extreme events and climate change in central south Chile. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58(8), 1598-1619, 2013.
Meza F.J., Wilks D., Gurovich L., Bambach N. Impacts of climate change on irrigated agriculture in the Maipo Basin, Chile: Reliability of water rights and changes in the demand for irrigation. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 138(5), 421-430, 2013.
MANUSCRIPT UNDER REVIEW AND IN PREPARATION
Bambach, N., Paw U, KT., Gilbert, M., (201X). A dynamic photosynthesis model of photoinhibition, heat and water stress. In preparation for submission to Journal of Experimental Botany.
Calderon, A., Bambach, N., Aburto, F., Calderon, M., (201X). Post-veraison Water Deficits Synchronize Color Development among Berries in Crimson Seedless Grapevines . Submitted to the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
Bambach, N., Paw U, KT., Gilbert, M., (201X). Diurnal and seasonal responses of high frequency chlorophyll fluorescence and PRI to abiotic stress. In preparation for submission to Biogeosciences.
Bambach, N., Gilbert, M., Paw U, KT., (201X).Introducing a dynamic photosynthetic model of photoinhibition, heat, and water stress in the Next Generation Land Surface Model ACASA. In preparation for submission to Agriculture and Forest Meteorology.
Conference talks and poster presentations
Bambach N, Paw U KT, Gilbert M, A photosynthetic model of heat, water and photoinhibition stress in almond trees. 17th International Congress on Photosynthesis Research, Oral Presentation, 2016.
Bambach N, Paw U KT, Gilbert M, A photosynthetic model of heat, water and photoinhibition stress in almond trees, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Poster Presentation, 2015.
Gilbert M., Gradziel T.,Preece J.,Bambach N. Evaluation of Leaf Heat Tolerance of Almond Germplasm in the UC Davis Almond Breeding Program. Almond Conference by the Almond Board of California, Poster Presentation, 2014.
Bambach N, Raab N, Frank N, Gilbert M, Meza F, Paw U KT. Effects of nitrogen allocation on net ecosystem exchange due to photosynthesis parameterization: A sensitivity analysis of the Advanced Canopy Atmosphere Soil Algorithm. 31th Conference on Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Oral Presentation, 2014.
Bambach N, Paw U KT., Felzer B. Coupling the multi-layer land surface model ACASA with a biogeochemical model TEM to better represent carbon and nitrogen dynamics. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Poster Presentation, 2014.
Bambach N., Felzer B., Paw U KT. Carbon and Nitrogen biogeochemical cycles coupling in a land surface ecosystem advance model: TEM – ACASA. PASI- Cartagena, Poster Presentation, 2013.
Bambach N., Raab N., Bravo F., Meza F., Paw U K.T.. A New Approach to Assess CO2/H2O Exchange: The Chilean Mediterranean Savanna Ecosystem Carbon Assimilation Efficiency. 30th Conference on Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Poster Presentation, 2012.
Bambach N. and Meza F., The productivity of irrigated areas as a function of wáter availability and vulnerability under global change - Land use and land cover change and water security . TIRAS – IAI, Paraguay, Oral Presentation, 2011.
Bambach, N y F.J. Meza. Impacts of climate change on the distribution of characteristic communities of the Mediterranean ecosystem. Documenting, understanding and projecting changes in the hydrological cycle in the American Cordillera. IAI Collaborative Research Network 2047 Third Science meeting, Poster Presentation, 2010.
Bambach, N y F.J. Meza. Impacts of climate change on the distribution of characteristic species of the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem. XVI Reunión de la Sociedad Nacional de Ecología de Chile. Universidad Austral, Poster Presentation, 2009.