Our aim is to understand the mechanisms driving synergies and trade-offs in sustaining biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods in
tropical landscapes
Forest dynamics following human disturbance:
Data documenting long-term ecosystem dynamics are essential to understand how ecosystems respond to human disturbance over time, such as recovery after complete forest clearance or selective logging. I manage a network of long-term secondary forest plots (10 – 130 years) in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama, where we examine successional changes in forest structure, carbon storage, and species and functional composition of birds, bats, trees, lianas and epiphytes (Dent et al. 2011; Elsy et al. 2024). This project is integrated within the 2ndFOR network of secondary forest plots that spans the Neotropics. I am also involved in a plot network comparing forest composition and regeneration in logged, restored and undisturbed forests in Sabah, Malaysia where I have worked since my PhD in 2005 (Hayward et al. 2021; Bartholomew et al. 2024).
Data documenting long-term ecosystem dynamics are essential to understand how ecosystems respond to human disturbance over time, such as recovery after complete forest clearance or selective logging. I manage a network of long-term secondary forest plots (10 – 130 years) in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama, where we examine successional changes in forest structure, carbon storage, and species and functional composition of birds, bats, trees, lianas and epiphytes (Dent et al. 2011; Elsy et al. 2024). This project is integrated within the 2ndFOR network of secondary forest plots that spans the Neotropics. I am also involved in a plot network comparing forest composition and regeneration in logged, restored and undisturbed forests in Sabah, Malaysia where I have worked since my PhD in 2005 (Hayward et al. 2021; Bartholomew et al. 2024).
Participatory science as a vehicle for indigenous rights, self-determination and conservation:
I am a member of the scientific committee that co-leads the participatory action research project Bacurú Drõa (Old-Growth Forests). This project is located in the Darién region of Panama and was co-developed in collaboration with the Traditional Emberá Authorities of Tierras Colectivas of Balsa with two main objectives:
1. To establish a community-driven Old-Growth Forest Observatory in full partnership with the Emberá people of the Balsa River to enhance knowledge of old-growth forests, protect biodiversity and improve the local economy.
2. Accompany the development of a local governance ensuring forest and species conservation, and cultural survival and food-security through capacity-building, empowering and innovative research driven methods.
I am a member of the scientific committee that co-leads the participatory action research project Bacurú Drõa (Old-Growth Forests). This project is located in the Darién region of Panama and was co-developed in collaboration with the Traditional Emberá Authorities of Tierras Colectivas of Balsa with two main objectives:
1. To establish a community-driven Old-Growth Forest Observatory in full partnership with the Emberá people of the Balsa River to enhance knowledge of old-growth forests, protect biodiversity and improve the local economy.
2. Accompany the development of a local governance ensuring forest and species conservation, and cultural survival and food-security through capacity-building, empowering and innovative research driven methods.
Species interactions as drivers of in ecological resilience and recovery:
The role of biotic interactions, such as plant-animal and plant-microbe interactions, are crucial for the maintenance of species diversity and the recovery of tropical forests after anthropogenic disturbances. However, we lack observational and experimental data that quantify the role of interspecific interactions in shaping forest composition and regeneration.
Plant-animal interactions: Fruit-eating animals, or frugivores, disperse most tropical tree species, providing a key ecosystem service. Frugivores are critical for plant movement and regeneration. In recent reviews, we propose that the abundance and composition of seed sources and dispersers drives plant turnover during forest regeneration, and interact with niche-based processes to determine tropical forest succession and restoration (Dent & Estrada-Villegas, 2021). We document frugivore-plant interaction networks and track frugivore movements to understand how seed dispersal shifts across landscape fragmentation gradients and the implications for forest recovery (Bello et al. 2024).
Plant-Pathogen Interactions: Plant-pathogen interactions play a critical role in shaping plant communities in undisturbed tropical forests, but it is unclear how plant-pathogen interactions shape the speed and trajectory of succession. With this project we aim to understand the relative roles of plant-pathogen interactions, plant functional traits and abiotic environment in determining successional change. This project is a collaboration with Prof. Liza Comita (Yale University, USA) and is supported by a Swiss National Science Foundation Project Grant.
The role of biotic interactions, such as plant-animal and plant-microbe interactions, are crucial for the maintenance of species diversity and the recovery of tropical forests after anthropogenic disturbances. However, we lack observational and experimental data that quantify the role of interspecific interactions in shaping forest composition and regeneration.
Plant-animal interactions: Fruit-eating animals, or frugivores, disperse most tropical tree species, providing a key ecosystem service. Frugivores are critical for plant movement and regeneration. In recent reviews, we propose that the abundance and composition of seed sources and dispersers drives plant turnover during forest regeneration, and interact with niche-based processes to determine tropical forest succession and restoration (Dent & Estrada-Villegas, 2021). We document frugivore-plant interaction networks and track frugivore movements to understand how seed dispersal shifts across landscape fragmentation gradients and the implications for forest recovery (Bello et al. 2024).
Plant-Pathogen Interactions: Plant-pathogen interactions play a critical role in shaping plant communities in undisturbed tropical forests, but it is unclear how plant-pathogen interactions shape the speed and trajectory of succession. With this project we aim to understand the relative roles of plant-pathogen interactions, plant functional traits and abiotic environment in determining successional change. This project is a collaboration with Prof. Liza Comita (Yale University, USA) and is supported by a Swiss National Science Foundation Project Grant.
Monitoring and predicting the impact of conservation and restoration interventions in the tropics:
Ecosystem conservation and restoration is complex, and we increasingly understand that factors beyond ecology impact long-term project outcomes and resilience. We are working with conservation and reforestation organisations, local communities and private landowners in Central America to understand the synergies and conflicts between ecological (biodiversity and carbon) and socioeconomic outcomes of conservation projects. With collaborators Leland Werden and Sara Löfqvist at ETH-Zürich, we are exploring how global finance mechanisms and national governance structures affect the equity and effectiveness of forest conservation and how we can use these insights to optimise tropical forest conservation for local people, biodiversity and carbon capture. This work is funded through a Google Carbon Removal Research Award.
Ecosystem conservation and restoration is complex, and we increasingly understand that factors beyond ecology impact long-term project outcomes and resilience. We are working with conservation and reforestation organisations, local communities and private landowners in Central America to understand the synergies and conflicts between ecological (biodiversity and carbon) and socioeconomic outcomes of conservation projects. With collaborators Leland Werden and Sara Löfqvist at ETH-Zürich, we are exploring how global finance mechanisms and national governance structures affect the equity and effectiveness of forest conservation and how we can use these insights to optimise tropical forest conservation for local people, biodiversity and carbon capture. This work is funded through a Google Carbon Removal Research Award.
