Effects of environmental resources variation on tropical rain forests dynamics

This presentation will be divided into two parts : firstly, I will expose the main results of a study on tree mortality and recruitment in French Guiana and secondly my PhD project (Ecology department, Spatial organization and dynamics of plant diversity project).

• 1. Mortality and recruitment in a lowland tropical rainforest of French Guiana : effects of soil types and species guilds

A variety of processes have been identified as playing a key role in maintenance of hyper rich tropical forests. Among which niche differentiation favours species coexistence through specific functional requirements allowing spatial and temporal resource partitioning and limits interspecific competition.

In this study we investigate from two censuses, ca. 15 years apart, of a 12-ha permanent forest sample in French Guiana, how tree recruitment and mortality rates vary among hydrological soil types known to affect species habitat preferences and among ecological guilds related to species light requirement.

• 2. Three-dimensional modeling of the dynamics of a tropical heterogeneous forest tree population

This PhD project will investigate the three-dimensional modeling of the dynamics of a tropical heterogeneous forest tree population, taking into account the crown morphology of trees and their spatial interactions. Data provided from the Uppangala permanent sample plot, a 28-ha experimental station established in 1990 by the French Institute of Pondicherry in an undisturbed dense wet evergreen forest, in the Western Ghats of India. The aim of the project is to realise a synthesis of the numerous studies conducted there and to extend them by a three-dimensional model of the forest dynamics.

Speaker

Cécile Madelaine, PhD candidate, IFP / University of Montpellier II, Agro.M

Organisers

Department of Ecology, French Institute of Pondicherry

Venue

Jawaharlal Nehru Conference Hall, French Institute of Pondicherry, 11, Saint Louis Street, Pondicherry - 605001

Time

16h30