Tropical Ecosystems: Structure, Functions and Challenges in the Face of Global Change (PDF)

Dr. Satish Chandra Garkoti, is a Himalayan ecologist and specializes on Forest Ecology with emphasis on forest productivity and nutrient cycling, tree ecophysiology, phenology, biodiversity characterization, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. He is among the pioneers to contribute to structure and functioning of high elevation forest ecosystems leading to tree-line in the Himalayas. Plant diversity characterization in tropical forests of North Eastern India and estimation of ecosystem services in Himalayan forest ecosystems are other areas where he has made substantial contributions. Dr. Garkoti has published a large number of research papers in international and national Journals of repute. Dr. Garkoti is Rector in Jawaharlal Nehru University and Professor in School of Environmental Sciences. Currently he is leading a Task Force on creating a coherent database on traditional knowledge systems in the Indian Himalayan region which is an integral part of National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change.

Dr. Skip J. Van Bloem is a tropical forest ecologist. His research has centered on how large infrequent disturbances such as hurricanes generate physiological responses in trees and how those responses shape long-term patterns in tree population and community dynamics. His work also evaluates long term responses to anthropogenic disturbances related to land use change and wildfire. Most of his research has been in seasonally dry systems in Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean. He is currently the director of the Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science and a professor in the Forestry and Environmental Conservation department at Clemson University and was previously the president of the International Society of Tropical Ecology. He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, M.S. from the Ohio State University, and B.A. from Western Michigan