Research Cooperation sought

COMPARATIVE STUDY IN XISHUANGBANNA, SOUTH WESTERN CHINA
Under the support of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a comparative study is being conducted on the habitats, species and community structure of tropical seasonal rain forest patches in different growth phases in Xishuangbanna, south western China. The study deals with the dynamics in plant populations, forest micro-sites (heterogeneity of micro-climate and soil) and forest process (e.g. distribution patterns, productivity, seed rain, soil seed bank, eco-physiology of seedlings and saplings under the canopy) of gap phase-, building phase- and mature phase patches in the forest.

Distributed in the ecotone area between the Asian tropics and subtropics, Xishuangbanna rain forest has a tropical monsoon climate and contains deciduous affinities in species composition, and displays seasonality in developmental rhythms, which differs from typical equatorial rain forests.

Potential research partners are sought (both individuals and institutions) worldwide for international cooperative research with them in this area.

For further information, please contact:
CAO Min
Dept. of Forest Ecology XTBG
Xuefu Road 50
Kunming 650223
P.R. China
Tel: +86 871 5160914
Fax: +86 871 5160916
Email: caom@public.km.yn.cn


IUFRO TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
The Task Force on Environmental Change is one of several set up by the Executive Board of the International Union of Forest Research Organisations to look at specific interdisciplinary issues during the period 1996-2000. The Task Forces were established to advise the Executive Board on current issues, initiatives, research activities, and research needs in the particular topic of each Task Force. The Task Forces do not duplicate or compete with the work of Research Groups, but recognize their work and any gaps in current research or knowledge.

The Task Forces must provide interim and final 'state-of-the-art' reports for the Executive Board and several, including the Task Force on Environmental Change, need to provide position papers for senior members of IUFRO who represent the Union at meetings of international initiatives and organizations such as the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests and the Biological Diversity, Climate Change, Desertification and Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Conventions. As such, they are of considerable value as boundary spanners between research and policy makers.

The Task Force also has a larger body of contributing members. These members provide specialist input to specific problems, provide reviews of material prepared on behalf of the Task Force and, on occasion, represent the Task Force at meetings. Membership is based on expertise, and we are currently seeking to expand our membership base with interests in tropical forests. We are preparing reports on the following topics:

  1. The impact of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases on forest ecosystems
  2. Impacts and amelioration of air pollution in heavily polluted regions
  3. The impact of air pollution on forest trees in developing and transition countries (prov. title)
  4. The impact of UV-B radiation on forest ecosystems
  5. Utilization of forest products to offset global increases in carbon dioxide
  6. The influence of environmental change on geomorphological hazards in forested areas
  7. The impact of global warming and changing precipitation patterns on forest ecosystems
  8. The implications of environmental change for the socio-economic aspects of forestry
  9. Forest management responses to environmental change
    10. Reports 1-3 are already well underway, but if you feel that you might be able to contribute a chapter to reports 4-9, particularly from a tropical perspective, please contact, as soon as possible:
    John Innes
    IUFRO Task Force Coordinator
    Email: john.innes@wsl.ch
    Further details about the Task Force and its activities and reports can be found on the IUFRO Internet pages: http://iufro.boku.ac.at/iufro/taskforce/hptfec.htm

    Dr Elmer V Sayre is a social scientist working in tropical forest research in the Philippines. His topical area is resource economics, social mobilisation and promoting community-based forest management. Dr Sayre is interested in developing a joint research proposal on resource use and its interactions in different landscape positions of the watershed. The research should result in recommendations on measures to achieve sustainable production systems.

    For further information, please contact:
    Dr Elmer V Sayre
    Faculty of Agriculture
    Xavier University, PO Box 89
    9000 Cagayan de Oro City
    Phillipines
    Email: environs@calitan.msuiit.edu.ph


    A B Roy of is interested in communicating with others with a similar interest in the use wild flora and fauna for food, in particular for the poorest people.

    For further information, please contact:
    A B Roy
    57/6A/2 Santosh Roy Road
    Calcutta
    700008 India