.future.research

My research interests lie within the broad category of land-use and land cover change and terrestrial ecosystem ecology. My Masters research is concentrated on the identification of land-use changes and an analysis of the causes. My Ph.D. research will be somewhat of a continuation of this by focusing on ecosystem responses to land-use and land cover change, specifically responses concerning biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles. Here is how I tend to think of the study of land-use and land cover change and its different components:

• Identification of land-use and land cover change using remote sensing tools and Geographic Information Science
• Causes of land-use and land cover change
            Biophysical
            Socioeconomic
            Poltical and institutional
• Ecosystem responses to land-use and land cover change and potential alteration of ecosystem services
            Biodiversity and habiat
            Biogeochemical cycles
            Quality and quantity of water resources
            Climate and air quality
• Implications for environmental policy and conservation management

(Although these components are shown in a nice and neat fashion, I emphasize the fact that feedbacks are constantly occurring between them).

For my Ph.D., I would like to investigate ecosystem responses to land-use and land cover change. Some research questions that I would like to develop further are:

• How does the rate of land-use change affect ecosystem response and services? How does this affect ecosystem function?
• How do varying types of land-use change compare in terms of ecosystem response (example: Guo & Gifford 2002)?
• How do species' functional characteristics affect ecosystem functioning?