Visit of professor Tomas A. Carlo for collaboration in the project 'Ecological Restoration of Riparian Forests, Native Forest of Economic Production and Degraded Forest Fragments (in APP and RL)' and others

• Grant number: 16/00034-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Duration: April 04, 2016 - April 19, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues
• Grantee: Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues
• Visiting researcher: Tomás Ariel Carlo Joglar
• Visiting researcher institution: Pennsylvania State University, United States
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/50718-5 - Ecological restoration of riparian forests, native forest of economic production and of degraded forest fragments (in APP and RL) based on restoration ecology of reference ecosystems in order to scientifically test the precepts of the New Brazilian Forest Code, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

Dr. Carlo has conducted research on the functional relationship between frugivores (fruit-eating animals that disperse seeds) and plant communities for twenty years. Carlo has developed spatially-explicit models and empirical tests of frugivory and seed dispersal in heterogeneous landscapes. Carlo's work is highly relevant for restoration projects as most seeds in tropical forests are bird-dispersed. Thus, Carlo's behavioral approach to understanding seed-rain can be important for the restoration efforts that aim not only to restore a physical environment, but the animal-plant interactions that will perpetuate them. Much of Carlo's work has focused on understanding factors that predict seed arrival of plant species based on the presence of structural components and/or fruit resource density. Such knowledge can be applied to solve the practical problem of restoring biodiversity on degraded tropical lands. With the proposed visit, our aim is to bring such expertise to our project, especially to the students enrolled, and to start new collaborations. (AU)