Mapping Amazonian biodiversity at multiple scales by integrating geology and ecology

Research summary

Estimating how well existing conservation units represent different habitats and their species is necessary for the long-term preservation of biological diversity and for sustainable use of forest resources. The task is especially challenging in Amazonia, which is both extensive and largely unexplored. Therefore, exact enough maps of the distribution of biodiversity are not available. We aim to solve the problem by combining the efforts of two teams that have approached biodiversity-related questions from different points of view. Attention will be given both to the current distribution of biodiversity in Amazonia and to the geological history that has shaped it. This will invove a combination of novel remote sensing methods, exceptionally extensive and internally consistent field data, and a thorough understanding of the geology of the Amazon basin and the ecology of selected indicator plants.

Description

Research info

Research title
Mapping Amazonian biodiversity at multiple scales by integrating geology and ecology

Research timeline
1.1.2014 - 1.12.2017

Keywords
Amazonia distribution modelling ferns floristic patterns geological history indicator species sedimentology species diversity

Region
Latin America

Countries
Bolivia, Plurinational State Of, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, Peru

Institution
University of Turku
Department of Biology
Turku, Finland

Head of research
Hanna Tuomisto

Research team
Hanna Tuomisto, Kalle Ruokolainen, Samuli Lehtonen, Jasper Van doninck, Gabriela Zuquim, Gabriel Moulatlet, Glenda Cárdenas

Partners
National Institute for Space Research - INPE (São José dos Campos - Brazil)

Contact information
Hanna Tuomisto
02-3335634
hanna.tuomisto@utu.fi
Open link

Record last updated
19.5.2016