Abstract:
The savannas and grasslands of South Asia have a long history of being misclassified and viewed as degraded and unproductive ecosystems. In this talk, I will unpack the biogeographical and historical reasons for these perceptions; show evidence that contrary to these widely-held perceptions, these ecosystems are ancient, biodiverse and productive; and that these open ecosystems have a distinctive functional ecology that contrasts sharply that of closed forests. I will then discuss the very real threats that such misunderstanding of these ecosystems pose for their conservation and management.
Speaker: Dr. Jayashree Ratnam
Affiliation: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Time: 4:30 PM, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024
Venue: Zoom Conference Platform ID：312-430-8960 PWD：666666
