Ongoing research projects
I have ongoing research projects in four broad areas: Tropical Forest Carbon Cycling, Animal Nutrient Movement, Remote Sensing and Astrobiology.
Tropical forest carbon cycling - How will this year's el Nino affect tropical forests? We are measuring the total carbon cycle in over 50 plots throughout the Americas, Africa, and South East Asia to better understant how the warm dry conditions of el Nino affect tropical forests and global climate.
Animal nutrient movement - Do areas with large animals such as Southern Gabon have a more even distribution of nutrients than those areas without? In April 2016, I will compare nutrient movement by animals in Gabon to other regions of the planet.
Remote sensing - I am collecting leaf spectral properties and leaf traits from tropical forests throughout the planet to better use remote sensing to understand tropical forest ecosystem function.
Astrobiology - Developing new techniques to discover life on exoplanets. See this paper for the theory and this one for a test case.
How will this year's el Nino affect tropical forests? We are measuring the total carbon cycle in over 50 plots throughout the Americas, Africa, and South East Asia to better understant how the warm dry conditions of el Nino affect tropical forests and global climate.
Do areas with large animals such as Southern Gabon have a more even distribution of nutrients than those areas without? In April 2016, I will compare nutrient movement by animals in Gabon to other regions of the planet.
We measure leaf spectroscopy and traits on tropical forest leaves in Peru, Brazil, Ghana, Australia, Malaysia, and Belize to better use remote sensing to understand tropical forest ecosystem function.