Fernando T. Maestre
@ftmaestre.bsky.social
Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering #KAUST Husband, father, dryland ecologist & runner. PI #Maestrelab
Peer review in top journals is tough, and we often focus on its “dark side”: delays, rejections, and harsh reports. But there’s also a bright side we talk about far too little. Our recent acceptance came with exceptionally kind words from the handling editor—polite, thoughtful, ...
November 16, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Peer review in top journals is tough, and we often focus on its “dark side”: delays, rejections, and harsh reports. But there’s also a bright side we talk about far too little. Our recent acceptance came with exceptionally kind words from the handling editor—polite, thoughtful, ...
In our new @mdpiopenaccess.bsky.social #Water paper, led by Jaime Martínez-Valderrama, we quantify the hidden & huge cost of food waste in #Spain Between 2014–2018, >480,000 tons of fruits & vegetables were discarded — wasting 36 hm³ of water and emitting >36,000 tCO₂-eq. A crisis that we must stop
November 6, 2025 at 7:10 AM
In our new @mdpiopenaccess.bsky.social #Water paper, led by Jaime Martínez-Valderrama, we quantify the hidden & huge cost of food waste in #Spain Between 2014–2018, >480,000 tons of fruits & vegetables were discarded — wasting 36 hm³ of water and emitting >36,000 tCO₂-eq. A crisis that we must stop
Our new review in @universitypress.cambridge.org
Cambridge Prisms: Drylands explores the ecology of biocrusts in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most extreme and underexplored regions on Earth, their functions, knowledge gaps & potential for land restoration doi.org/10.1017/dry....
Cambridge Prisms: Drylands explores the ecology of biocrusts in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most extreme and underexplored regions on Earth, their functions, knowledge gaps & potential for land restoration doi.org/10.1017/dry....
November 5, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Our new review in @universitypress.cambridge.org
Cambridge Prisms: Drylands explores the ecology of biocrusts in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most extreme and underexplored regions on Earth, their functions, knowledge gaps & potential for land restoration doi.org/10.1017/dry....
Cambridge Prisms: Drylands explores the ecology of biocrusts in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most extreme and underexplored regions on Earth, their functions, knowledge gaps & potential for land restoration doi.org/10.1017/dry....
A new article in Biological Reviews by Islam et al. synthesizes current knowledge on C cycling and storage in desert ecosystems, highlighting the roles of precipitation patterns, vegetation dynamics & soil inorganic processes in regulating C sequestration onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
October 30, 2025 at 11:55 AM
A new article in Biological Reviews by Islam et al. synthesizes current knowledge on C cycling and storage in desert ecosystems, highlighting the roles of precipitation patterns, vegetation dynamics & soil inorganic processes in regulating C sequestration onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Delighted to celebrate the first anniversary of this journal. As an editor, it’s been inspiring to see such a wide range of articles advancing our understanding of dryland ecosystems. If you work in #drylands please consider submitting your work to us www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
October 28, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Delighted to celebrate the first anniversary of this journal. As an editor, it’s been inspiring to see such a wide range of articles advancing our understanding of dryland ecosystems. If you work in #drylands please consider submitting your work to us www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Excited to give a plenary talk at the @iavs5.bsky.social Symposium 2026 in beautiful Gijón, Spain! Looking forward to share our latest research about #dryland plant diversity and to reconnecting with the global vegetation science community gijon2026.iavs-meetings.org Don´t miss it!
October 22, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Excited to give a plenary talk at the @iavs5.bsky.social Symposium 2026 in beautiful Gijón, Spain! Looking forward to share our latest research about #dryland plant diversity and to reconnecting with the global vegetation science community gijon2026.iavs-meetings.org Don´t miss it!
Our new article in @ejsoilscience.bsky.social highlights the key uncertainties limiting the use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs), a promising tool to curb N pollution and N₂O emissions. Better design & smarter use of NIs are key for sustainable N management onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
October 20, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Our new article in @ejsoilscience.bsky.social highlights the key uncertainties limiting the use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs), a promising tool to curb N pollution and N₂O emissions. Better design & smarter use of NIs are key for sustainable N management onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
This study shows the power of international collaboration to tackle global challenges like drought. Grateful to have served on the IDE Steering Committee and happy to see our @erc.europa.eu supported Ciempozuelos field site contributing to this global effort.
October 17, 2025 at 5:53 AM
This study shows the power of international collaboration to tackle global challenges like drought. Grateful to have served on the IDE Steering Committee and happy to see our @erc.europa.eu supported Ciempozuelos field site contributing to this global effort.
Using data from 74 grassland and shrubland sites on six continents from the @droughtnet.bsky.social International Drought Experiment (IDE), we found that productivity declines up to 2.5× more after four consecutive years of extreme drought
October 17, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Using data from 74 grassland and shrubland sites on six continents from the @droughtnet.bsky.social International Drought Experiment (IDE), we found that productivity declines up to 2.5× more after four consecutive years of extreme drought
As droughts become longer and more intense, their toll on ecosystems could be far greater than we thought. Our new paper in @science.org shows how prolonged & extreme droughts cause dramatic, cumulative losses in ecosystem productivity across the globe www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
October 17, 2025 at 5:53 AM
As droughts become longer and more intense, their toll on ecosystems could be far greater than we thought. Our new paper in @science.org shows how prolonged & extreme droughts cause dramatic, cumulative losses in ecosystem productivity across the globe www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In #drylands, plants don’t grow randomly — they self-organize into disordered hyperuniform patterns that help them use water wisely & endure extreme aridity. A beautiful hidden logic of nature, revealed in a new @pnas.org study doi.org/10.1073/pnas... including #Maestrelab alumni
October 8, 2025 at 6:59 AM
In #drylands, plants don’t grow randomly — they self-organize into disordered hyperuniform patterns that help them use water wisely & endure extreme aridity. A beautiful hidden logic of nature, revealed in a new @pnas.org study doi.org/10.1073/pnas... including #Maestrelab alumni
New study in @universitypress.cambridge.org #CambridgePrismsDrylands reveals how landscape- & patch-scale processes shape the “fertile island effect” in the Chihuahuan Desert, illustrating the importance of spatial heterogeneity in drylands doi.org/10.1017/dry.... 📷by Patricia Zumsteg @unsplash.com
October 6, 2025 at 7:29 AM
New study in @universitypress.cambridge.org #CambridgePrismsDrylands reveals how landscape- & patch-scale processes shape the “fertile island effect” in the Chihuahuan Desert, illustrating the importance of spatial heterogeneity in drylands doi.org/10.1017/dry.... 📷by Patricia Zumsteg @unsplash.com
🌍 We’re excited to host the Future Food Systems Conference (FFS2026) at #KAUST with #PlantACT!
📅 Apr 13–15, 2026 | Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
A global gathering to reimagine how to feed the world without eating the planet
👉 Free registration & info: kaust.edu.sa/events/ffs26/
📅 Apr 13–15, 2026 | Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
A global gathering to reimagine how to feed the world without eating the planet
👉 Free registration & info: kaust.edu.sa/events/ffs26/
September 13, 2025 at 2:07 PM
🌍 We’re excited to host the Future Food Systems Conference (FFS2026) at #KAUST with #PlantACT!
📅 Apr 13–15, 2026 | Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
A global gathering to reimagine how to feed the world without eating the planet
👉 Free registration & info: kaust.edu.sa/events/ffs26/
📅 Apr 13–15, 2026 | Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
A global gathering to reimagine how to feed the world without eating the planet
👉 Free registration & info: kaust.edu.sa/events/ffs26/
This work is part of the @erc.europa.eu funded BIODESERT global survey and was led by Luna Mgill who did a great job leading this collaboration with @manudelbaq.bsky.social @cesarplaza.bsky.social & @pablogarciapal.bsky.social
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 AM
This work is part of the @erc.europa.eu funded BIODESERT global survey and was led by Luna Mgill who did a great job leading this collaboration with @manudelbaq.bsky.social @cesarplaza.bsky.social & @pablogarciapal.bsky.social
Our findings suggest that the loss of particulate & mineral-associated organic carbon with aridification threatens not only soil C storage but also essential ecosystem services.
➡️ Protecting SOC fractions is critical to sustain dryland resilience under climate change.
➡️ Protecting SOC fractions is critical to sustain dryland resilience under climate change.
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Our findings suggest that the loss of particulate & mineral-associated organic carbon with aridification threatens not only soil C storage but also essential ecosystem services.
➡️ Protecting SOC fractions is critical to sustain dryland resilience under climate change.
➡️ Protecting SOC fractions is critical to sustain dryland resilience under climate change.
🔎 We analyzed 251 dryland ecosystems worldwide and found that:
✔️ POC & MAOC are linked to carbon storage, nutrient cycling, water regulation & biomass production.
✔️ Their role depends on vegetation type & aridity.
✔️ Links weaken sharply under high aridity (>0.8).
✔️ POC & MAOC are linked to carbon storage, nutrient cycling, water regulation & biomass production.
✔️ Their role depends on vegetation type & aridity.
✔️ Links weaken sharply under high aridity (>0.8).
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 AM
🔎 We analyzed 251 dryland ecosystems worldwide and found that:
✔️ POC & MAOC are linked to carbon storage, nutrient cycling, water regulation & biomass production.
✔️ Their role depends on vegetation type & aridity.
✔️ Links weaken sharply under high aridity (>0.8).
✔️ POC & MAOC are linked to carbon storage, nutrient cycling, water regulation & biomass production.
✔️ Their role depends on vegetation type & aridity.
✔️ Links weaken sharply under high aridity (>0.8).
Our new article is out in @geoderma.bsky.social! Drylands, which cover 40% of Earth’s land, store ~30% of global soil organic carbon. But how do different carbon fractions support ecosystem services under rising aridity? 🏜️
📖 doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...
📖 doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Our new article is out in @geoderma.bsky.social! Drylands, which cover 40% of Earth’s land, store ~30% of global soil organic carbon. But how do different carbon fractions support ecosystem services under rising aridity? 🏜️
📖 doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...
📖 doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...
As stated by this press release from @unccd.bsky.social we must overhaul global food systems to avert worsening land crisis unccd.int/news-stories... Read the @natureportfolio.nature.com #Nature Review here rdcu.be/eBlid
August 19, 2025 at 8:58 AM
As stated by this press release from @unccd.bsky.social we must overhaul global food systems to avert worsening land crisis unccd.int/news-stories... Read the @natureportfolio.nature.com #Nature Review here rdcu.be/eBlid
Very glad to see this report in @elmundo.es.web.brid.gy elmundo.es/ciencia-y-sa... about our recent @natureportfolio.nature.com #Nature review rdcu.be/eACfr Let´s hope that it will contribute to much-needed discussions & action around food systems 2 ensure a healthier, safer & more peaceful future
August 15, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Very glad to see this report in @elmundo.es.web.brid.gy elmundo.es/ciencia-y-sa... about our recent @natureportfolio.nature.com #Nature review rdcu.be/eACfr Let´s hope that it will contribute to much-needed discussions & action around food systems 2 ensure a healthier, safer & more peaceful future
To meet the targets of the #UN Rio Conventions (#UNCCD, #UNFCCC & #CBD) we must bend the curve of land degradation. Our latest Review in @natureportfolio.nature.com #Nature discusses how to do it by 2050 by urgently transforming global food systems rdcu.be/eACfr #KAUST
August 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
To meet the targets of the #UN Rio Conventions (#UNCCD, #UNFCCC & #CBD) we must bend the curve of land degradation. Our latest Review in @natureportfolio.nature.com #Nature discusses how to do it by 2050 by urgently transforming global food systems rdcu.be/eACfr #KAUST
Today is #DesertificationAndDroughtDay 🌍Our lab at #KAUST
studies how to restore and manage drylands to boost biodiversity, fight climate change & support livelihoods Let’s #RestoreLand and #UnlockOpportunities—for people and the planet
studies how to restore and manage drylands to boost biodiversity, fight climate change & support livelihoods Let’s #RestoreLand and #UnlockOpportunities—for people and the planet
June 17, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Today is #DesertificationAndDroughtDay 🌍Our lab at #KAUST
studies how to restore and manage drylands to boost biodiversity, fight climate change & support livelihoods Let’s #RestoreLand and #UnlockOpportunities—for people and the planet
studies how to restore and manage drylands to boost biodiversity, fight climate change & support livelihoods Let’s #RestoreLand and #UnlockOpportunities—for people and the planet
What if plant N & P cycles aren’t as linked as we thought?🤔Our new @journalofecology.bsky.social paper shows that global change decouples them, challenging existing asumptions & showing the need 2 incoporate this decoupling into models to predict global change responses doi.org/10.1111/1365...
June 12, 2025 at 9:32 AM
What if plant N & P cycles aren’t as linked as we thought?🤔Our new @journalofecology.bsky.social paper shows that global change decouples them, challenging existing asumptions & showing the need 2 incoporate this decoupling into models to predict global change responses doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Ecological shifts were linked to:
Photosynthetic cover
Fungal lifestyle (e.g. saprotrophic, symbiotic)
These findings highlight the complex and lineage-specific ways soil microbiomes respond to climate warming, with implications for soil function and ecosystem resilience
Photosynthetic cover
Fungal lifestyle (e.g. saprotrophic, symbiotic)
These findings highlight the complex and lineage-specific ways soil microbiomes respond to climate warming, with implications for soil function and ecosystem resilience
May 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Ecological shifts were linked to:
Photosynthetic cover
Fungal lifestyle (e.g. saprotrophic, symbiotic)
These findings highlight the complex and lineage-specific ways soil microbiomes respond to climate warming, with implications for soil function and ecosystem resilience
Photosynthetic cover
Fungal lifestyle (e.g. saprotrophic, symbiotic)
These findings highlight the complex and lineage-specific ways soil microbiomes respond to climate warming, with implications for soil function and ecosystem resilience
Interestingly, taxa within the same phylum often exhibited divergent responses—some increased, others decreased.
This suggests that broad taxonomic identity is not a reliable predictor of warming response—ecological traits matter more
This suggests that broad taxonomic identity is not a reliable predictor of warming response—ecological traits matter more
May 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Interestingly, taxa within the same phylum often exhibited divergent responses—some increased, others decreased.
This suggests that broad taxonomic identity is not a reliable predictor of warming response—ecological traits matter more
This suggests that broad taxonomic identity is not a reliable predictor of warming response—ecological traits matter more
Warming significantly reshaped the relative abundance of both bacterial and fungal taxa.
In drylands, warming-responsive taxa made up:
35.9% of bacterial communities
42.9% of fungal communities
These shifts were evident across multiple time points.
In drylands, warming-responsive taxa made up:
35.9% of bacterial communities
42.9% of fungal communities
These shifts were evident across multiple time points.
May 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Warming significantly reshaped the relative abundance of both bacterial and fungal taxa.
In drylands, warming-responsive taxa made up:
35.9% of bacterial communities
42.9% of fungal communities
These shifts were evident across multiple time points.
In drylands, warming-responsive taxa made up:
35.9% of bacterial communities
42.9% of fungal communities
These shifts were evident across multiple time points.