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Project properties |
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| Title | Seed rain: reproductive strategies during secondary succession in wet tropical
forest |
| Group | Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 33-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Frans Bongers |
| Examiner(s) | Lourens Poorter |
| Contact info | Frans.Bongers@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2020/06/01 |
| End date | |
| Description | MSc thesis
During secondary succession after land abandonment in the wet tropics the vegetation recovers rapidly. Local forest recovery is determined by many factors but availability of seeds is crucial. This is largely determined by the matrix of surrounding vegetation, the species available in that matrix, and the reproductive strategies of those species. Some species produce seeds every year and/or year round, other species reproduce only in a particular season and/or once in a few years. Local forest recovery depends on propagule availability, for instance resprouting, seeds germinating form the seed bank, or new seeds coming to the site (eg by wind, or animals), or being produced locally. In Chajul, southern Mexico, we study wet forests secondary succession for 20 years now. For half a dozen forest plots of different ages after abandonment we have monthly seed fall data for a period of 7-8 years. In this project you will describe the seed rain community and focus on reproductive strategies of the species, and may also relate the reproductive strategies of species to other species characteristics. You will evaluate the (potential) consequences of seed availability for secondary succession and recovery. Corona proof: i.e.no field work (abroad) or intensive lab studies required Climate change effects / Secondary succession/ forest restoration/ Americas/ Tropical zone/ Desk study |
| Used skills | R or equivalent, Statistical skills |
| Requirements | Recommended:
FEM-30306 Forest Ecology and Forest Management and REG-31806 Ecological Methods I |