Arnold Arboretum Research in Asia
Forest canopy at Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak
Research conducted through the Arnold Arboretum’s Asia Program—comprising work in 18 countries across the region—involves the integration of morphological, developmental, molecular, and ecological studies, with an underlying foundation of systematic biology. Current initiatives, including the Center for Tropical Forest Science and the Malesian biogeography work of Cam Webb, continue to expand the Arnold Arboretum’s strength in field and herbarium research, and are developing new informatics resources for the plants and ecosystems of Asia. The acquisition and conservation of germplasm for the Arboretum’s living collection is also an important facet of the Asia Program, ensuring that contemporary and future scientists have access to plants for study and that rare species are preserved ex situ. Recent collecting activities in Korea and China have been conducted by Senior Research Scientist Peter Del Tredici and Curator of Living Collections Michael Dosmann.
Research program pages:
- CTFS-AA Asian Research
- Malesian Biodiversity Discovery and Biogeography
- East Asian research
- Outreach for conservation and reforestation
The fascinating, vital flora of Asia
Asia offers unique advantages for studies in plant systematics, ecology, evolution, and biogeography. Asia contains some of the most species-rich, tropical and temperate plant communities on Earth, and includes many ancient and basal members of angiosperm and gymnosperm lineages. The continent also encompasses the longest and widest terrestrial frontier between tropical-temperate ecosystems, including a continuous gradient from equatorial to cool temperate forests. Asia possesses the only tropical region to have originated from more than one tectonic plate, resulting in a complex history of plant community assembly. Furthermore, these plant communities are perhaps the most fragmented and threatened ecosystems on Earth; almost half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots (species rich but threatened) are within Asia. For these reasons, research discoveries in the region have great potential to be of major global significance.
The Future
The Arnold Arboretum is uniquely positioned to advance the science of Asian plants and ecosystems. A combination of world-class research laboratories, unparalleled living and herbarium collections and informatics resources, an extensive network of long-term field research programs, and strong partnerships with many research institutions in the region provide the basis for leadership in Asian plant biology.
Current US National Science Foundation Grants Funding Asian Research
- Stuart Davies; (DEB 1046113) “Diversity and Forest Change: Characterizing functional, phylogenetic and genetic contributions to diversity gradients and dynamics in tree communities”
- Sarah Mathews; (ATOL 0629890) “Gymnosperms on the Tree of Life: Resolving the Phylogeny of Seed Plants”
- Cam Webb; (DEB 1020868) “Biogeographic and ecological diversification of trees across the Indonesian archipelago: developing indigenous leadership in biodiversity informatics
Recent US National Science Foundation Grants Funding Asian Research
- David Boufford; (DEB 0321846) “Plant and Fungal Diversity of Western Sichuan and Eastern Xizang, China”
- Stuart Davies and David Middleton; (DEB 0315985) “Botanical Diversity and Biogeography of Southern Thailand”
- Wayne Takeuchi; (DEB 0315930) “Floristic Exploration and Survey of Four High-Priority Areas in New Guinea”