Bettina Engelbrecht

My research interests focus on the mechanisms shaping tree distribution patterns along environmental gradients. I am particularly interested in the relative importance of different factors, especially water, but also light and nutrient availability, herbivory, pathogens, seed dispersers and historical processes.

The importance of variation of water availability, and the emerging consequences for tropical forests under climate change conditions are a special focus of my work. I am using a pronounced rainfall gradient at the Isthmus of Panama as a model system, and conduct the research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, where I am a Research Associate.

I am also investigating effects of climatic changes and human impacts on forests in the Congo basin, the second largest continuous rainforest on earth. This research is conducted in the framework of CoForChange, an EU-funded project.