Using data from a global network of field sites, CTFS researchers are answering questions that were impossible to address just a few years ago. CTFS researchers are, for the first time, generating detailed actuarial statistics on the rates of growth, regeneration and mortality of thousands of tropical tree species, many of them rare or endangered. They are discovering basic biological principles that explain tropical forest dynamics. This knowledge of tree growth patterns across a range of habitats, of predators, pathogens, and fruit and flowering behavior, is fundamental to the successful management and conservation of these forests.
CTFS addresses questions such as:
- Why do tropical forests have high species diversity? How can that high diversity be maintained under conditions of human-use?
- What role do tropical forests play in stabilizing our climate and atmosphere? How can we take advantage of and enhance their ability to store carbon?
- What determines tropical forest productivity? How can we utilize forest resources sustainably?
By finding answers to these types of questions, the Center for Tropical Forest Science fulfills its two-fold goal of providing a sound scientific basis for relevant forest management and policy decisions.