Temporal variation of dispersal mechanism in a tropical dry forest
Dispersal Variation: The Chronometer of Change
This project quantifies the temporal variability of dispersal modes across dry forest succession in the San Emilio ForestGEO plot. Conducted in collaboration with Dr. Brian Enquist and Dr. Nate Swenson, this research documents a crucial, unanticipated shift in dispersal in a forest facing succession and climate change. This work intends to disentangle the drivers of this unforeseen successional trajectory. Our findings suggest that vertebrate-dispersed species may face an uphill battle for persistence.
Analysis of the San Emilio plot censuses (1976, 1996, and 2006) revealed an unexpected stability in the abundance of frugivore- and wind-dispersed species over time, suggesting complex influence of climate change effects on dispersal syndromes dynamics.
This finding now drives our investigation into the underlying mechanisms. I focus on niche partitioning, leveraging functional trait data, and examining density-dependent processes across multiple life stages to explain the observed dispersal group abundances.
Based on this project, supported by the fellowship Botany In Action from Phipps Conservatory, I am developing a science outreach program, Forestition. This initiative conveys biological competition as a unifying concept that shapes forest communities. Crucially, Forestition moves beyond the traditional focus on charismatic species, highlighting the need to preserve all species to maintain forest functionality and diversity.
As part of this initiative, I participated in a Science Outreach Workshop at Phipps Conservatory (Pittsburgh, PA), engaging in hands-on science communication activities tailored for diverse non-scientific audiences, including children.