Research Projects

Current research projects of paraecologists in the Wanang Conservation Area:

1. Forest dynamics in the 50-ha Wanang plot, part of the Center for Tropical Science (CTFS) network

Monitoring 288,000 individual plants from >550 species to understand vegetation dynamics – details here.

Paraecologists: Filip, Rinan, Siki

Collaborators: G. Weiblen (University of Minnesota), V. Novotny (Czech Academy of Sciences), T. Whitfeld (Brown University), see also link here.

Byron Siki with his plant samples.

2. Insect monitoring in the 50-ha CTFS plot: butterflies, ants, termites, and fruit flies

Regular surveys of insect focal taxa to understand long-term trends in rainforest communities – details here.

Paraecologists: Kimbeng, Umari, Filip

Collaborators: Y. Basset (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute)

Jonah Filip monitoring insects using Malaise trap.

3. Forest regeneration: the dynamics of seed production and seedling survival

Surveys of seed production using 200 fruit traps combined with surveys of seedlings in 800 permanent 1 m2 plots within the 50-ha CTFS lot.

Paraecologists: Siki, Rinan

Collaborators: O. Lewis (Oxford University), L. Houdkova and J. Leps (University of South Bohemia)

4. The role of insect herbivores in driving rainforest plant dynamics and diversity

Experimental manipulation of seed density in the forest aimed at understanding the role of seed-eating insects in maintaining rainforest diversity.

Paraecologists: Rinan, Umari

Collaborators: Y. Basset (University of South Bohemia)

Ruma Umari rearing insects from rainforest fruits.

5. Bird community composition at large and small spatial scales

Surveys of bird communities within the entire Wanang Conservation Area and the 50-ha plot, in order to understand habitat preferences and coexistence of bird species.

Paraecologists: Paul, Mulau

Collaborators: K. Chmel (University of South Bohemia), R. Hazell (Sussex University)

Luda Paul (centre) setting up equipment for point count survey of birds.

6. Bird nest predation in lowland rainforest

The study of natural enemies of birds attacking their nests in rainforest understorey, monitoring nests by videocameras.

Paraecologists: Paul, Mulau

Collaborators: K. Chmel (University of South Bohemia)

Ornithology team: Mark Mulau, Krystof Chmel and Luda Paul (L to R).

7. Rainforest succession and its ecological determinants

Experimental manipulation of secondary succession, removing fungal pathogens, insect herbivores and their enemies from experimental succession plots to understand drivers of forest succession.

Collaborators: P. Szefer (University of South Bohemia), V. Novotny (Czech Academy of Sciences)

Paraecologists: Filip

Jonah Filip with one of the experimental succession gardens.

8. Carbon stocks in the Wanang Conservation Area rainforest

Vegetation surveys assessing carbon stocks for carbon market.

Paraecologists: Rinan, Filip, Siki

Collaborators: A. Stewart, M. Peck (Sussex University)

Mark Mulau (front) setting up a plant plot.