The Roles of Vertebrates in Forest Dynamics: a New Ctfs Program

Research at Pasoh as well as most other sites in the worldwide network of the Centre for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS-SIGEO) is traditionally focused on the diversity and dynamics of vegetation. Large-scale forest plots in which trees are mapped, measured and monitored are the key standardized methodology (Condit 1998). This approach, however, does not completely fulfill the primary goal of the CTFS-SIGEO global network, which is to understand the diversity and dynamics of forests in the face of global change. In particular, vertebrates and their roles should be systematically studied across the network but are not.