Research interests:

Tropical forests worldwide are highly sensitive to climatic events such as El Niño and to deforestation-driven reductions in rainfall. They play an active role in the global carbon cycle and encompass diverse ecosystems. Despite their importance, the growth and age of tropical trees remain poorly constrained. This is because unlike their temperate counterparts, most tropical trees do not produce visible growth rings and are notoriously difficult to date based on wood anatomical studies alone. My research aims to develop and apply geochemical techniques to date ringless tropical trees. Quantifying the age distribution of tropical forest trees is an important step in order to (a) determine long-term ecosystem sensitivity to climate and other disturbances; (b) explore the timeline over which current climate records may be extended back in time; (c) quantify residence times of terrestrial carbon and improve our knowledge of tropical carbon cycling; and (d) inform foresters of sustainable management practices. I have ongoing field projects in Ecuador, French Guyana, Indonesia, Panama and Thailand.

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