2026 Kathy Steppe: Plant Science and Agronomy Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Plant Science and Agronomy	73	601	554	9	9	435	17279

Research.com Recognitions

2026 - Research.com Plant Science and Agronomy in Belgium Leader Award
2025 - Research.com Plant Science and Agronomy in Belgium Leader Award

Overview

What is she best known for?

The fields of study she is best known for:

Botany
Ecology
Photosynthesis

Her scientific interests lie mostly in Botany, Xylem, Photosynthesis, Water transport and Phloem. Her studies in Botany integrate themes in fields like Soil science and Biophysics. Xylem and Apoplast are frequently intertwined in her study.

She combines subjects such as Intensity, Growing season and Horticulture with her study of Photosynthesis. Her research in Phloem tackles topics such as Bark which are related to areas like Dissolved organic carbon, Cambium and Girdling. Kathy Steppe interconnects Fagaceae, Agronomy, Root system and Water content in the investigation of issues within Transpiration.

Her most cited work include:

A mathematical model linking tree sap flow dynamics to daily stem diameter fluctuations and radial stem growth. (248 citations)
Origin, fate and significance of CO2 in tree stems. (239 citations)
Estimating evapotranspiration and drought stress with ground-based thermal remote sensing in agriculture: A review (221 citations)

What are the main themes of her work throughout her whole career to date?

Her main research concerns Botany, Horticulture, Xylem, Transpiration and Agronomy. Her Botany study typically links adjacent topics like Water content. Kathy Steppe has included themes like Growing season and Stomatal conductance in her Horticulture study.

Her research in Xylem focuses on subjects like Phloem, which are connected to Girdling. In her study, which falls under the umbrella issue of Transpiration, Calibration is strongly linked to Flow. Her study in Drought stress and Irrigation are all subfields of Agronomy.

She most often published in these fields:

Botany (25.99%)
Horticulture (19.80%)
Xylem (19.31%)

What were the highlights of her more recent work (between 2017-2021)?

Transpiration (17.33%)
Xylem (19.31%)
Horticulture (19.80%)

In recent papers she was focusing on the following fields of study:

Kathy Steppe mostly deals with Transpiration, Xylem, Horticulture, Agronomy and Photosynthesis. Her work investigates the relationship between Transpiration and topics such as Atmospheric sciences that intersect with problems in Carbon sink. Her work deals with themes such as Biophysics, Resistance, Respiration, Phloem and Transpiration stream, which intersect with Xylem.

Her work on Drought stress as part of general Horticulture study is frequently linked to Water transport, bridging the gap between disciplines. She works mostly in the field of Photosynthesis, limiting it down to concerns involving Phloem transport and, occasionally, Carbon cycle. Her research on Solanum concerns the broader Botany.

Between 2017 and 2021, her most popular works were:

Perspectives for Remote Sensing with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Precision Agriculture. (144 citations)
The two water worlds hypothesis: Addressing multiple working hypotheses and proposing a way forward (65 citations)
Quantification of uncertainties in conifer sap flow measured with the thermal dissipation method (37 citations)

In her most recent research, the most cited papers focused on:

Botany
Ecology
Photosynthesis

The scientist’s investigation covers issues in Xylem, Agronomy, Transpiration, Turgor pressure and Water uptake. Her Xylem research is multidisciplinary, relying on both Photosynthesis, Phloem and Respiration. Her Respiration research is multidisciplinary, incorporating elements of Biophysics and Carbon dioxide.

Her Agronomy study combines topics from a wide range of disciplines, such as Avicennia marina, Mangrove and Canopy. Her Transpiration research is within the category of Botany. The various areas that Kathy Steppe examines in her Turgor pressure study include Co2 efflux, Water potential and Biochemical engineering.

Best Publications

Perspectives for Remote Sensing with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Precision Agriculture.

Wouter H. Maes;Kathy Steppe

868
Citations
Responses of tree species to heat waves and extreme heat events

Robert Teskey;Timothy Wertin;Ingvar Bauweraerts;Maarten Ameye

732
Citations
Estimating evapotranspiration and drought stress with ground-based thermal remote sensing in agriculture: A review

Wouter Maes;Kathy Steppe

530
Citations
A mathematical model linking tree sap flow dynamics to daily stem diameter fluctuations and radial stem growth.

Kathy Steppe;Dirk J W De Pauw;Raoul Lemeur;Peter A Vanrolleghem

475
Citations
Above-ground biomass and structure of 260 African tropical forests.

Simon L. Lewis;Simon L. Lewis;Bonaventure Sonké;Terry Sunderland;Serge K. Begne;Serge K. Begne

436
Citations
Origin, fate and significance of CO2 in tree stems.

Robert O. Teskey;An Saveyn;Kathy Steppe;Mary Anne McGuire

419
Citations
Diel growth dynamics in tree stems: linking anatomy and ecophysiology.

Kathy Steppe;Frank Sterck;Annie Deslauriers

414
Citations
A comparison of sap flux density using thermal dissipation, heat pulse velocity and heat field deformation methods

Kathy Steppe;Dirk J.W. De Pauw;Tanya M. Doody;Robert O. Teskey

413
Citations
Phloem transport: a review of mechanisms and controls

Veerle De Schepper;Tom De Swaef;Ingvar Bauweraerts;Kathy Steppe

361
Citations
Effects of nitrogen deficiency on leaf photosynthesis, carbohydrate status and biomass production in two olive cultivars 'Meski' and 'Koroneiki'

O. Boussadia;K. Steppe;H. Zgallai;S. Ben El Hadj

320
Citations
Development and verification of a water and sugar transport model using measured stem diameter variations

Veerle De Schepper;Kathy Steppe

220
Citations
Use of X-ray computed microtomography for non-invasive determination of wood anatomical characteristics

Kathy Steppe;Veerle Cnudde;Catherine Girard;Raoul Lemeur

214
Citations
Nanobubbles: a new paradigm for air-seeding in xylem.

H. Jochen Schenk;Kathy Steppe;Steven Jansen

211
Citations
Stomatal regulation by microclimate and tree water relations: interpreting ecophysiological field data with a hydraulic plant model.

Roman Franz Zweifel;Roman Franz Zweifel;Kathy Steppe;Frank J. Sterck

195
Citations
Stem diameter variations as a versatile research tool in ecophysiology.

Tom De Swaef;Veerle De Schepper;Maurits W Vandegehuchte;Kathy Steppe

177
Citations
Sap-flux density measurement methods: working principles and applicability

Maurits W Vandegehuchte;Kathy Steppe

174
Citations
Turgor - a limiting factor for radial growth in mature conifers along an elevational gradient.

Richard L. Peters;Richard L. Peters;Richard L. Peters;Kathy Steppe;Henri E. Cuny;Henri E. Cuny;Dirk J.W. De Pauw

173
Citations
Transport of root‐respired CO2 via the transpiration stream affects aboveground carbon assimilation and CO2 efflux in trees

Jasper Bloemen;Mary Anne McGuire;Doug P. Aubrey;Robert O. Teskey

170
Citations
Global transpiration data from sap flow measurements: the SAPFLUXNET database

Rafael Poyatos;Víctor Granda;Víctor Flo;Mark A. Adams;Mark A. Adams

168
Citations
The 2018 European heatwave led to stem dehydration but not to consistent growth reductions in forests

Unknown

167
Citations
Xylem Surfactants Introduce a New Element to the Cohesion-Tension Theory.

H. Jochen Schenk;Susana Espino;David M. Romo;Neda Nima

152
Citations
The effect of induced heat waves on Pinus taeda and Quercus rubra seedlings in ambient and elevated CO2 atmospheres.

Maarten Ameye;Timothy M. Wertin;Ingvar Bauweraerts;Mary Anne McGuire

151
Citations
The two water worlds hypothesis: Addressing multiple working hypotheses and proposing a way forward

Z. Carter Berry;Jaivime Evaristo;Georgianne Moore;María Poca

149
Citations