Dr. rer. nat.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Institute of Geography
Room 02-282
Phone:
E-Mail: emartine@uni-mainz.de
Consultation hours:
Upon agreement only
Biographical Data
- since 09/2024: DFG-funded Postdoctoral Researcher (Eigene Stelle), Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- 03/2023 – 08/2024: Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- 03/2021 – 03/2023: Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- 01/2020 – 12/2020: Postdoctoral Researcher, Forest Management Group, Agrotecnio, University of Lleida, Spain
- 01/2019 – 12/2019: Postdoctoral Researcher, Forest Resources Unit, Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragón (CITA), Spain
- 02/2014 – 02/2019: Ph.D. in Geography, University of Zaragoza, Spain
Thesis: Tree performance at rear-edge distribution: Forest cover change and climate-growth relationships in Moncayo Natural Park - 09/2010 – 04/2011: M.Sc. studies in Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing
- 09/2005 – 07/2010: B.Sc. in Geography
Research Interests
- Tree responses to drought, heat, and climate extremes
- Forest resilience, growth decline, tree mortality
- Climate–growth relationships and tree-ring analysis
- Wood formation and quantitative wood anatomy
- Remote sensing and novel wood-based proxies
Publications
Summary:
Total number of SCI publications: 59. H-index: 26
Google Scholar: Link
2026
[59] Yue, W., et al. (2026). Geographical and aridity gradients along with species variation shape tree growth sensitivity in the northern and southern transitional zone of China. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 388, 111286.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111286 [58] Röder, S., Martinez del Castillo, E., Torbenson, M., Zimmer-Zachmann, H., Reinig, F., Kölzer, A., Büntgen, U., Esper, J., Ziaco, E. (2026). Pre-drought conservative xylem hydraulic architecture is associated with enhanced recovery from the 1976 drought in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Plant, Cell & Environment.
https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70691 [57] Kölzer, A., Frigo, D., Martinez del Castillo, E., Reinig, F., Esper, J., Heinrich, I., Neuwirth, B., Baliva, M., Piovesan, G., Ziaco, E. (2026). Impact of canopy disturbances on climate sensitivity of old-growth beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests. Dendrochronologia. 97.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126537 [56] Kunz, M., Torbenson, M.C.A., Reinig, F., Martinez del Castillo, E., Büntgen, U., Wilson, R., Homfeld, I.K., King, G., Reid, E., Anchukaitis, K.J., Trouet, V., King, K.E., Harley, G.L., Maxwell, J.T., Csank, A., Broadman, E., Kuhl, E., Edwards, J., Römer, P., Günther, B., Gerber, C., Esper, J. (2026). Exorcizing divergence in tree-ring density along the Rocky Mountains. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 131.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2026JG009783 [55] Lin, J., et al. (2026). Temperature and photoperiod interactions influence the cessation of wood growth in three temperate and boreal conifers. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 379.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111056 [54] Yue, W., et al. (2026). Runoff reconstructions and future projections indicate highly variable water supply from Pacific Rim water towers. AGU Advances. 7.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025AV002053
2025
[53] Li, X., et al. (2025). Warming increases the phenological mismatch between carbon sources and sinks in conifers. Nature Climate Change. 15, 1363–1370.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02474-z [52] Marín-Martín, M., Tejedor, E., Benito, G., Saz, M.A., Barriendos, M., Martínez del Castillo, E., Esper, J., de Luis, M. (2025). A five-century tree-ring record from Spain reveals recent intensification of western Mediterranean precipitation extremes. Climate of the Past. 21, 2205–2223.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-2205-2025 [51] Popa, A., et al. (2025). Spatiotemporal variability of dendroecological indicators in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) tree-rings across Europe in relation to species distribution models. Global Change Biology. 31.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70567 [50] Esper, J., Reinig, F., Torbenson, M., Martinez del Castillo, E., Kunz, M., Arzac, A., Carrer, M., Chen, F., Kadioglu, A.K., Kirdyanov, A.V., Tejedor, E., Trnka, M., Büntgen, U. (2025). Pan-alpine summer temperatures since 742 CE. Dendrochronologia. 94.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126432 [49] Homfeld, I.K., Reinig, F., Martinez del Castillo, E., Torbenson, M.C.A., Konter, O., Wilson, R., Krusic, P.J., Loader, N.J., Grudd, H., Reid, E., Letherbarrow, K., Esper, J. (2025). Beyond maximum density: Multi-parameter insights into Scots pine climate sensitivity. Trees - Structure and Function. 39.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-025-02681-3 [48] Büntgen, U., Kadioglu, A.K., Charcinska, K., Martinez del Castillo, E., Arizpe, A., Bebchuk, T., Esper, J., Trnka, M., Oppenheimer, C., Köse, N., Akkemik, Ü., Güner, H.T. (2025). Consideration of Abies cilicica for central European reforestation. Forest Ecology and Management. 597.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123120 [47] Zhang, Y., et al. (2025). Soil nitrogen drives inverse acclimation of xylem growth cessation to rising temperature in Northern Hemisphere conifers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 122.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2421834122 [46] Esper, J., Martinez del Castillo, E., Chevalier, M., Arosio, T., Büntgen, U. (2025). Proxy record selection to refine Holocene temperature reconstruction in Europe. Climate Research. 94, 71–79.
https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01753 [45] Serrano-Notivoli, R., Jevšenak, J., Martinez del Castillo, E., Čufar, K., et al. (2025). A single-tree approach to determine climate-growth patterns of European beech and their seasonality in the species southern distribution area. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 371.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110644 [44] Torbenson, M.C.A., Martinez del Castillo, E., Reinig, F., Stahle, D.W., King, K.E., Maxwell, J.T., Harley, G.L., Ziaco, E., Esper, J. (2025). Lack of cold temperatures is driving recent high-summer warming in the southern Rocky Mountains. International Journal of Biometeorology. 69, 1475–1486.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-025-02904-9 [43] Römer, P., Martinez del Castillo, E., Reinig, F., Torbenson, M.C.A., Konter, O., Klippel, L., Büntgen, U., Esper, J. (2025). Growth characteristics and drought vulnerability of southwest German spruce and pine. European Journal of Forest Research. 144, 393–409.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-025-01765-6 [42] Spelsberg, S., Büntgen, U., Homfeld, I.K., Kunz, M., Martinez del Castillo, E., Tejedor, E., Torbenson, M., Ziaco, E., Esper, J. (2025). Climate signal age effects in Pinus uncinata tree-ring density data from the Spanish Pyrenees. Trees - Structure and Function. 39, 23.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-024-02598-3
2024
[41] Torbenson, M.C.A., et al. (2024). Past and future climate-driven changes of agricultural land in central Europe. Geophysical Research Letters. 51.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112363 [40] Martinez del Castillo, E., Torbenson, M.C.A., Reinig, F., Tejedor, E., de Luis, M., Esper, J. (2024). Contrasting future growth of Norway spruce and Scots pine forests under warming climate. Global Change Biology. 30.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17580 [39] Klesse, et al. (2024). No future growth enhancement expected at the northern edge for European beech due to continued water limitation. Global Change Biology. 30, e17546.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17546 [38] Kuhl, E., Ziaco, E., Esper, J., Konter, O., Martínez del Castillo, E. (2024). A machine learning approach to fill gaps in dendrometer data. Trees - Structure and Function.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-024-02573-y [37] Silvestro, R., et al. (2024). Partial asynchrony of coniferous forest carbon sources and sinks at the intra-annual time scale. Nature Communications. 15, 6169.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49494-5 [36] Martinez del Castillo, E., Torbenson, M.C.A., Reinig, F., Konter, O., Ziaco, E., Büntgen, U., Esper, J. (2024). Diverging growth trends and climate sensitivities of individual pine trees after the 1976 extreme drought. Science of the Total Environment. 946, 174370.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174370 [35] Leifsson, C., et al. (2024). Identifying drivers of non-stationary climate-growth relationships of European beech. Science of the Total Environment. 937.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173321 [34] Zhang, Y., et al. (2024). High preseason temperature variability drives convergence of xylem phenology in Northern Hemisphere conifers. Current Biology. 34(6), 1161–1167.e3.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.039 [33] Büntgen, U., et al. (2024). Recent summer warming over the western Mediterranean region is unprecedented since medieval times. Global and Planetary Change. 232.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104336 [32] Jevšenak, J., et al. (2024). Incorporating high-resolution climate, remote sensing and topographic data to map annual forest growth in central and eastern Europe. Science of the Total Environment. 913, 169692.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169692
2023
[31] Torbenson, M.C.A., Büntgen, U., Römer, P., Urban, O., Trnka, M., Ač, A., Reinig, F., Rybníček, M., Kolář, T., Arosio, T., Martinez del Castillo, E., Koňasová, E., Pernicová, N., Čáslavský, J., Esper, J. (2023). Assessing earlywood-latewood proportion influence on tree-ring stable isotopes. Dendrochronologia. 82, 1–6.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2023.126147 [30] Torbenson, M.C.A., Brázdil, R., Stagge, J.H., Esper, J., Büntgen, U., Vizina, A., Hanel, M., Rakovec, O., Fischer, M., Urban, O., Treml, V., Reinig, F., Martinez del Castillo, E., Rybníček, M., Kolář, T., Trnka, M. (2023). Increasing volatility of reconstructed Morava River warm-season flow, Czech Republic. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. 50.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101534 [29] Skrk, N., Martinez del Castillo, E., Serrano-Notivoli, R., de Luis, M., Novak, K., Merela, M., Čufar, K. (2023). Spatial and temporal variation of Fagus sylvatica growth in marginal areas under progressive climate change. Dendrochronologia. 81.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2023.126135 [28] Torbenson, M.C.A., Büntgen, U., Esper, J., Urban, O., Balek, J., Reinig, F., Krusic, P.J., Martinez del Castillo, E., Brázdil, R., Semeradova, D., Štepánek, P., Pernicova, N., Kolár, T., Rybníček, M., Koňasová, E., Arbelaez, J., Trnka, M. (2023). Central European agroclimate over the past 2000 years. Journal of Climate. 4429–4441.
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-22-0831.1
2022
[27] Martínez del Castillo, E., Zang, C., Buras, A., Hacket-Pain, A., Esper, J., et al. (2022). Climate-change-driven growth decline of European beech forests. Communications Biology. 5, 163.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03107-3 [26] Royo-Navascues, M., Martínez del Castillo, E., Tejedor, E., Serrano-Notivoli, R., Longares, L.A., Saz, M.A., Novak, K., de Luis, M. (2022). The imprint of droughts on Mediterranean pine forests. Forests. 13, 1396.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f13091396 [25] Prislan, P., Martínez del Castillo, E., Skoberne, G., Špenko, N., Gričar, J. (2022). Sample preparation protocol for wood and phloem formation analyses. Dendrochronologia. 125959.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2022.125959 [24] Huang, J., et al. (2022). A critical thermal transition driving spring phenology of Northern Hemisphere conifers. Global Change Biology.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16543 [23] Gazol, A., et al. (2022). Tree growth response to drought partially explains regional-scale growth and mortality patterns in Iberian forests. Ecological Applications.
https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2589 [22] Resco de Dios, V., Cunill Camprubí, À., Pérez-Zanón, N., Peña, J.C., Martínez del Castillo, E., Rodrigues, M., Yinan, Y., Yebra, M., Vega-García, C., Boer, M.M. (2022). Convergence in critical fuel moisture and fire weather thresholds associated with fire activity in the pyroregions of Mediterranean Europe. Science of the Total Environment. 151462.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151462
2021
[21] Royo-Navascues, M., Martinez del Castillo, E., Serrano-Notivoli, R., Tejedor, E., Novak, K., Longares, L.A., Saz, M.A., de Luis, M. (2021). When density matters: The spatial balance between early and latewood. Forests. 12, 818.https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070818 [20] Resco de Dios, V., Hedo, J., Cunill Camprubí, À., Thapa, P., Martínez del Castillo, E., Martínez de Aragón, J., Bonet, J.A., Balaguer-Romano, R., Díaz-Sierra, R., Yebra, M., Boer, M.M. (2021). Climate change induced declines in fuel moisture may turn currently fire-free Pyrenean mountain forests into fire-prone ecosystems. Science of the Total Environment. 797, 149104.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149104
2020
[19] Decuyper, M., Chávez, R.O., Čufar, K., Estay, S.A., Clevers, J.G.P.W., Prislan, P., Gričar, J., Črepinšek, Z., Merela, M., de Luis, M., Serrano, R., Martinez del Castillo, E., Rozendaal, D.M.A., Bongers, F., Herold, M., Sass-Klaassen, U. (2020). Spatio-temporal assessment of beech growth in relation to climate extremes in Slovenia – An integrated approach using remote sensing and tree-ring data. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 287, 107925.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2020.107925 [18] Gazol, A., et al. (2020). Drought legacies are short, prevail in dry conifer forests and depend on growth variability. Journal of Ecology. 108, 2473–2484.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13435 [17] Huang, J., et al. (2020). Photoperiod plays a dominant irreplaceable role in triggering secondary growth resumption. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 117, 32865–32867.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2019931117 [16] Huang, J., et al. (2020). Photoperiod and temperature as dominant environmental drivers triggering secondary growth resumption in Northern Hemisphere conifers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 117, 20645–20652.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2007058117 [15] Vicente-Serrano, S.M., et al. (2020). Linking tree-ring growth and satellite-derived gross primary growth in multiple forest biomes. Temporal-scale matters. Ecological Indicators. 108, 105753.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105753
2019
[14] Martínez del Castillo, E., Longares, L.A., Serrano-Notivoli, R., de Luis, M. (2019). Modeling tree-growth: Assessing climate suitability of temperate forests growing in Moncayo Natural Park (Spain). Forest Ecology and Management. 435, 128–137.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.12.051 [13] Gazol, A., Camarero, J.J., Colangelo, M., de Luis, M., Martínez del Castillo, E., Serra-Maluquer, X. (2019). Summer drought and spring frost, but not their interaction, constrain European beech and silver fir growth in their southern distribution limits. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 278.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2019.107695 [12] Martínez del Castillo, E., Longares, L.A., Serrano-Notivoli, R., Sass-Klaassen, U.G.W., de Luis, M. (2019). Spatial patterns of climate-growth relationships across species distribution as a forest management tool in Moncayo Natural Park (Spain). European Journal of Forest Research. 138, 299–312.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-019-01169-3 [11] Delpierre, N., et al. (2019). Chilling and forcing temperatures interact to predict the onset of wood formation in Northern Hemisphere conifers. Global Change Biology. 25, 1089–1105.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14539
2018
[10] Peña-Gallardo, M., et al. (2018). Drought sensitiveness on forest growth in peninsular Spain and the Balearic Islands. Forests. 9, 524.https://doi.org/10.3390/f9090524 [9] Martínez del Castillo, E., Prislan, P., Gričar, J., Gryc, V.V., Merela, M., Giagli, K., de Luis, M., Vavrčík, H., Čufar, K. (2018). Challenges for growth of beech and co-occurring conifers in a changing climate context. Dendrochronologia. 52, 1–10.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2018.09.001 [8] Martínez del Castillo, E., Tejedor, E., Serrano-Notivoli, R., Novak, K., Saz, M., Longares, L.A., de Luis, M. (2018). Contrasting patterns of tree growth of Mediterranean pine species in the Iberian Peninsula. Forests. 9, 416.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f9070416 [7] Gazol, A., Camarero, J.J., Vicente-Serrano, S.M., Sánchez-Salguero, R., Gutiérrez, E., de Luis, M., Sangüesa-Barreda, G., Novak, K., Rozas, V., Tíscar, P.A., Linares, J.C., Martín-Hernández, N., Martínez del Castillo, E., Ribas, M., García-González, I., Silla, F., Camisón, A., Génova, M., Olano, J.M., Longares, L.A., Hevia, A., Tomás-Burguera, M., Galván, J.D. (2018). Forest resilience to drought varies across biomes. Global Change Biology.
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14082
2016
[6] Prislan, P., Gričar, J., de Luis, M., Novak, K., Martínez del Castillo, E., Schmitt, U., Koch, G., Štrus, J., Mrak, P., Žnidarič, M.T.M.T., Čufar, K. (2016). Annual cambial rhythm in Pinus halepensis and Pinus sylvestris as indicator for climate adaptation. Frontiers in Plant Science. 7.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01923 [5] Gričar, J., Prislan, P., de Luis, M., Novak, K., Longares, L.A., Martínez del Castillo, E., Čufar, K. (2016). Lack of annual periodicity in cambial production of phloem in trees from Mediterranean areas. IAWA Journal. 37, 349–364.
https://doi.org/10.1163/22941932-20160138 [4] Martínez del Castillo, E., Longares, L.A., Gričar, J., Prislan, P., Gil-Pelegrín, E., Čufar, K., de Luis, M. (2016). Living on the edge: Contrasted wood-formation dynamics in Fagus sylvatica and Pinus sylvestris under Mediterranean conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science. 7, 370.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00370
2015
[3] Cuny, H.E., Rathgeber, C.B.K., Frank, D., Fonti, P., Makinen, H., Prislan, P., Rossi, S., Martínez del Castillo, E., Campelo, F., et al. (2015). Woody biomass production lags stem-girth increase by over one month in coniferous forests. Nature Plants. 1, 15160.https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2015.160 [2] Martínez del Castillo, E., García-Martin, A., Longares, L.A., de Luis, M. (2015). Evaluation of forest cover change using remote sensing techniques and landscape metrics in Moncayo Natural Park (Spain). Applied Geography. 62, 247–255.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2015.05.002
2014
[1] Čufar, K., Grabner, M., Morgós, A., Martínez del Castillo, E., Merela, M., de Luis, M. (2014). Common climatic signals affecting oak tree-ring growth in SE Central Europe. Trees - Structure and Function. 28, 1267–1277.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-013-0972-z