Wittig

Dr. Victoria Wittig

Graduate Research for the Environment Fellow
Department of Plant Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Interests:
Global change and forest interactions, tropospheric ozone, terrestrial carbon cycle, plant productivity models

PhD Research:
I am currently investigating how trees respond to global change utilizing modeling and meta-analytic techniques. Increasing CO2 has the potential to increase tree productivity, however, rising tropospheric ozone (O3) could negate this potential by reducing productivity. Models projecting how forest productivity will be altered by global changes such as rising CO2 must also account for rising O3. Reaching consensus from decades of primary studies of ozone impacts in the literature through meta-analysis will improve projections of forest productivity.

Graduate Aims:
1. Meta-analyze over three decades of research to reach a consensus of elevated tropospheric ozone impacts on tree growth and productivity
2. Improve projections forest productivity by including ozone impacts.
3. Link ozone air quality criteria to quantifiable responses in the literature.
4. Test models of GPP and their ability to accurately estimate tree growth under elevated CO2.

Education:
2008        Ph.D., UIUC. Advisor: Stephen P. Long (Trees and Global Change)
2002        B.Sc., with Honors, UIUC (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
2001        Study Abroad University of East Anglia Norwich, England (Environmental Studies)

First-Authored Publications:

Wittig, V.E. and S.P. Long (in prep) A reassessment of tropospheric ozone flux indices: Linking policy to forest productivity.
Wittig, V.E., Naidu, S.L., Karnosky, D.F., Long, S.P. (in prep) Tropospheric ozone reduces tree productivity: A meta-analytic review.
Wittig, V.E., Ainsworth, E.A., Long, S.P. (2007) To what extent do current and projected increases in surface ozone affect photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of trees? A meta-analytic review of the last three decades of experiments. Plant, Cell & Environment, 30:1150-1162.
Wittig, V.E., Bernacchi, C.J., Zhu, X., Calfapietra, C., Ceulemans, R., DeAngelis, P., Gielen, B., Miglietta, F., Morgan, P.B., Long, S.P. (2005) Gross primary production is stimulated for three Populus species grown under free-air CO2 enrichment from planting through canopy closure. Global Change Biology, 11: 644-656.

Co-Authored Publications:

Bernacchi, C.J., Leakey, A.D.B, Headey, L.E., Morgan, P.B., Dohleman, F.G., McGrath, J.M., Gillespie, K.M., Wittig, V.E., Rogers, A., Long, S.P., Ort, D.R. (2006) Hourly and seasonal variation in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of soybean grown at future CO2 and ozone oncentrations for 3 years under fully open-air field conditions. Plant, Cell and Environment, 29: 2077-2090.
Brentnall, S.J., Beerling, DJ., Osborne, C.P., Harland, M., Francis, J.E., Valdes, P.J., Wittig, V.E. (2005) Climatic and ecological determinants of leaf lifespan in polar forests of the high CO2 Cretaceous 'greenhouse' world. Global Change Biology, 11: 1-19.
Gielen, B., Calfapietra, C., Lukac, M., Wittig, V.E., DeAngelis, P., Janssens, I.A., Moscatelli, M.C., Grego, S., Cotrufo, M.F., Godbold, D.L., Hoosbeek, M.R., Long, S.P., Miglietta, F., Polle, A., Bernacchi, C.J., Davey, P.A., Ceulemans, R., Scarascia-Mugnozza, G.E. (2005) Net carbon storage in a poplar plantation (POPFACE) after three years of free-air CO2 enrichment. Tree Physiology, 25: 1399-1408.
Bernacchi, C.J., Calfapietra, C., Davey, P.A., Wittig, V.E., Scarascia-Mugnozza, G.E., Raines, C.A., Long, S.P. (2003) Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance responses of poplars to free-air CO2 enrichment (PopFACE) during the first growth cycle and immediately following coppice. New Phytologist, 159 (3): 609-621.

Seminars, Presentations & Posters:

Wittig, V.E. (2007) “Conducting a meta-analysis: tips for success.” Invited Workshop. Energy and Biosciences Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.

Wittig, V.E., Naidu, S.L., Karnosky, D.F., Long, S.P. (2006) "Tropospheric ozone reduces tree productivity: A meta-analytic review." Invited Seminar. Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Rigde, TN.

Wittig, V.E., Naidu, S.L., Karnosky, D.F., Long, S.P. (2006) "Tropospheric ozone reduces tree productivity: A meta-analytic review." Invited Seminar. Illinois State Water Survey, Urbana, IL.

Wittig, V.E., Naidu, S.L., Karnosky, D.F., Long, S.P. (2006) "Tropospheric ozone reduces tree productivity: A meta-analytic review." Oral Presentation. Symposium of Graduate Students in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.

Wittig, V.E., Naidu, S.L., Karnosky, D.F., Long, S.P. (2005) "A meta-analysis of tropospheric ozone and the biomass accumulation of trees." Oral Presentation. The 90th Annual Ecological Society of America Meeting, Montreal, Canada. Naidu, S.L., Karnosky, D.F., Long, S.P. (2005) "A meta-analysis of the effect of elevated tropospheric ozone exposure on the net photosynthesis of trees." University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.

Wittig, V.E., Bernacchi, C.J., Zhu, X., Calfapietra, C., Ceulemans, R., DeAngelis, P., Gielen, B., Miglietta, F., Morgan, P.B., Long, S.P. (2005) "Gross primary production is stimulated for three Populus species grown under free-air CO2 enrichment from planting through canopy closure." Poster. Modeling Ecosystem Responses to Global Change: Techniques and Recent Advances, TERACC Annual Meeting, Fort Meyers, Florida, USA

Wittig, V.E., Bernacchi, C.J., Zhu, X., Calfapietra, C., Ceulemans, R., DeAngelis, P., Gielen, B., Miglietta, F., Morgan, P.B., Long, S.P. (2004) "Gross primary production is stimulated for three Populus species grown under free-air CO2 enrichment." Oral Presentation. Global Change Education Program (GCEP) End of Summer Workshop, Washington D.C.

Wittig, V.E., Bernacchi, C.J., Zhu, X., Calfapietra, C., Ceulemans, R., DeAngelis, P., Gielen, B., Miglietta, F., Morgan, P.B., Long, S.P. (2004) "Modeling gross primary production for Populus species grown under free-air CO2 enrichment." Oral Presentation. The 89th Annual Ecological Society of America Meeting, Portland, OR.

Wittig, V.E., Long, S.P. (2004) "Is gross primary production of Poplars increased under elevated CO2? A study of Poplars under Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (POPFACE)." Oral presentation. University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.

Professional Experience:

2007        Graduate Student Representative on Committee to Evaluate Department Head
2007        Coordinator of Student Review of Faculty Candidates
2007        Founder and Coordinator of Internal Biweekly Plant Biology Departmental Colloquium
2007        Teaching Assistant, Integrative Biology 202: Structure and Function, UIUC
2006        Teaching Assistant, Integrative Biology 102: Plants, People and Environment, UIUC
2006        Coordinator of Student Review of Faculty Candidates
2006        Coordinator of North Eastern Annual Technical Committee Meeting on Ozone, UIUC
2003-      Graduate Research for the Environment Fellow, Department of Plant Biology, Dr. S.P. Long, UIUC
2003        Visiting student, Department of Plant Sciences, Dr. C.P. Osborne, University of Sheffield, England
2003        Research assistantship: Proof editor of Global Change Biology, Dr. S.P. Long, UIUC
2002        Field and Laboratory Technician (SOYFACE), Department of Crop Sciences, Dr. S.P. Long, UIUC
2002        Data Collection, University of Essex, UK and University of Tuscia (POPFACE), Viterbo, Italy

Fellowships and Awards:

2008        Robert Emerson Memorial Grant., UIUC
2008        John R. Laughnan Award, UIUC
2008        Outstanding Teaching in Plant Biology, UIUC
2006        Francis M. and Harlie M. Clark Research Support Grant, UIUC
2006        "Best PhD Presentation," Graduates in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Symposium, UIUC
2005        School of Integrative Biology Enhancement Fund, UIUC
2004, 2005 Graduate College Travel Grant, UIUC
2005        Terrestrial Ecosystem Responses to Atmospheric and Climatic Change (TERACC) Travel Grant
2003        Worldwide University Network (WUN) Studentship, University of Sheffield, England

Service and Society Memberships:

2006- 2007 Chair, Plant Biology Affiliated Graduate Students, UIUC
2006- Referee, Plant Biology
2005- Referee, Plant Cell & Environment
2003- Ecological Society of America
2003- 2004 Plant Biology Associated Graduate Students Treasurer, UIUC

Outreach and Volunteering:

2007 Plant propagations to raise funds for conservatory and plant collections at UIUC
2006 Champaign County Humane Society Volunteer
2006 Thomas Paine Elementary School Tutor

Please feel free to contact me with questions and comments.

379 Edward R Madigan Laboratory
1201 W. Gregory Dr.
Urbana, IL, 61801
Phone: (217) 244-6317
Fax: (217) 244-7563 c/o Dr. Steve Long
Email Victoria

Relevant Websites:

UIUC Plant Biology
Global Change Education Program (GCEP); U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research
The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN): supporting innovation in research, and education on a global scale
University of Sheffield
University of East Anglia

Stephen Long Lab