Dr Efisio Mattana
Research Leader - Seed and Seedling Ecology
Department
Team
Nature-based Solutions
Specialism
Seed germination ecology, ex situ plant conservation, effect of climate change in plant regeneration from seeds
I have a a background in seed biology and ecology and ex situ plant conservation, with a specific research interest in the impact of climate change in the regeneration by seeds of wild, threatened, and neglected and underutilized species.
I research approaches from seed ecology and MSB-banked seed lots to support and develop Nature-based Solutions, particularly in the UK.
- Undergraduate Studies, Natural Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, 2002
- PhD, Environmental and Applied Botany, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, 2009
- Postdoc Research Fellowship, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, 2009-2013
- Kew Honorary Visiting Research Associate, 2011 – 2014
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Native Seeds for Restoration: diversity and resilience in the UK
Supporting the effective selection and use of native seed in the restoration of climate-resilient, genetically diverse plant populations in the UK. -
Seed traits for tree production
This project combines research and technical development to investigate germination traits in UK native trees; to understand how these traits vary; and optimise commercial seed quality using high-throughput screening techniques. -
Enhancing carbon sequestration and improving livelihoods in Mexico's shade-grown coffee plantations
Supporting smallholder coffee farms to mitigate climate change, through carbon sequestration and enhanced biodiversity.
Mattana, E., Godefroid, S., Miles, S., Carta, A., Ensslin, A., Chapman, T. and Viruel, J. (2025).
Looking back to look ahead: the temporal dimension of conservation seed bank collections.
New Phytologist.
Mattana, E., Chapman, T., Miles, S., Ulian, T., & Carta, A. (2023).
Regeneration from seeds in a temperate native flora: A climate‐smart and natural–capital‐driven germination risk modelling approach
Plants, People, Planet.
Carta, A., Fernández-Pascual, E., Gioria, M., Müller, J.V., Rivière, S., Rosbakh, S., Saatkamp, A., Vandelook, F., & Mattana, E. (2022).
Climate shapes the seed germination niche of temperate flowering plants: a meta-analysis of European seed conservation data
Annals of Botany, 129, 775–786.
Mattana, E., Ulian, T., & Pritchard, H. W. (2022).
Seeds as natural capital
Trends in Plant Science, 27(2), 139-146.
Ulian, T., Diazgranados, M., Pironon, S., Padulosi, S., Liu, U., Davies, L., Howes, M. J. R., Borrell, J. S., Ondo, I., Pérez-Escobar, O. A., Sharrock, S., Ryan, P., Hunter, D., Lee, M. A., Barstow, C., Łuczaj, Ł., Pieroni, A., Cámara-Leret, R., Noorani, A., Mba, C., Nono Womdim, R., Muminjanov, H., Antonelli, A., Pritchard, H. W., & Mattana, E. (2020).
Unlocking plant resources to support food security and promote sustainable agriculture
Plants People Planet, 2(5), 421-445.