Physiological ecology of tropical forests
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There is tremendous diversity in plant form and function - in underlying traits and responses to changing environments. Broad goals of my research are to characterize such variation, identify key traits and interactions between traits, understand how these translate to plant performance, and test how variation in performance influences population persistence and adaptation in complex ecological environments.
Using an integrated approach work in my lab examines variation in, and relationships between, anatomical, morphological, physiological, phenological, and life history traits in woody tree species from various sites in peninsular India that span a gradient in vegetation types from seasonally dry forests to tropical wet evergreen forests. Here, we are trying to understand how the relationships between leaf, stem and reproductive traits relate to performance and distribution of species across these environmental gradients. Manipulative experiments conducted in the greenhouse/growth chambers complement field-based studies, and allow greater control of conditions used to grow, manipulate and assess performance. These help understand the mechanistic basis of variation in leaf and stem functional traits, the integration between leaf and stem traits, and the consequences of this for plant performance under varying experimentally manipulated conditions. Other work in the lab investigates patterns in plant phenology, examining proximate environmental cues, underlying endogenous mechanisms, and the ultimate consequences of diverse phenological patterns in tropical plants. The work done by students in the lab is often independent of the major focus of my research and address varied questions including: thermotolerance in tropical trees, plant-pollinator interactions, and evolutionary ecology of plant sexual systems. The Western Ghats The Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs north to south along the western coast of the Indian Peninsula. Extraordinarily rich in biodiversity this region is one of 34 global biodiversity hotspots. With less than 6% of the total landmass the Western Ghats is home to approximately 30% of the biodiversity in India with a large proportion of these species being endemic to this region. The Western Ghats receives less than 2000 to greater than 8000 mm of annual rainfall. In most regions there is a distinct dry period, but this varies from less than 4 months in the south to almost 8 months in the northern extremes. The four major forest types found here include evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, and dry deciduous forests. Other vegetation types in this region include: scrub forests, savannas, peat bogs, and Myristica swamps. The work from the lab is focused in the Western Ghats, primarily in the Northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra - Bhimashankar [1], Pune, Mulshi [2] and Satara [3]. Other sites with ongoing work include Sirsi, Karnataka [4] in the Central Ghats, and Kuluthupuzha [6], Kerala in the Southern tip of the Ghats. Previous work has examined woody species from Nagarajuna-Sagar Tiger Reserve, Andhra Pradesh [7] in the Eastern Ghats, and future work is planned in the Valparai Tamil Nadu [5]. Functional Ecology of Tropical Forests - Current Projects a) Plant functional traits in tropical dry forest trees b) Thermotolerance in tropical plants c) Water use strategies in seasonal environments d) Phenology in seasonally dry tropical forests e) Plant pollinator interactions in tropical forests f) Style-polymorphisms - sex-organ heights and pollination success g) Biogeogrpahy of Impatiens species in the Northern Western Ghats This research is funded by: Intra-mural funding from IISER, Pune Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India Science and Engineering Board, Govt. of India National Environment Research Council, UK |
The Western Ghats of peninsular India (green). Sites with ongoing work are labeled in red - details in text
May 20, 2016 saw the hottest temperatures ever recorded in India - 51 degrees celcius!
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