Dr Daisy Dent

Lecturer

Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Contact details

ORCID 0000-0002-1219-7344

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About me

Lecturer in Tropical Ecology - University of Stirling

Research Associate - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama

PhD - University of Aberdeen, 2005

BSc - University of Bristol, 1998

Research

Tropical landscapes are rapidly shifting from continuous tracts of undisturbed forest to complex landscape mosaics, and secondary forests comprise increasing proportions of these dynamic landscapes. Tropical landscapes will continue to change over the coming decades and research needs to keep pace with these shifts in land use so that we fully understand the value of emerging tropical landscapes for species conservation and ecosystem processes. I am interested in how tropical forest communities recover after disturbance, the interactions between the regeneration of forest plant communities and the recovery of key ecosystem processes, and how we can maintain viable populations of forest species in human-modified tropical landscapes. My principal research projects and collaborations are listed below:

Barro Colorado Nature Monument chronosequence study, Panama: Exploring long-term trends in species diversity and ecosystem function in secondary forest succession.

2ndFOR Network: A network of >45 secondary forest sites spanning the Neotropics, enabling us to make regional scale estimates about forest recovery.

Conservation potential of selectively-logged forest, Malaysia: Investigating the long-term sustainability of production forests in Danum Valley Conservation Area and surrounding forests, Sabah, Malaysia.

The environmental impacts of mega-dams in Amazonia, Brazil: This UK-Brazil partnership investigates the persistence of multiple taxa on islands in the Balbina dam reservoir in central Amazonia.

Balancing species conservation and agricultural productivity in tropical landscapes, Panama: This project aims identify how tree and bird community composition, seed dispersal and recruitment vary across gradients of forest cover and disturbance.

Projects

The Functional Composition of Tree Communities in Regenerating Secondary Forests
PI: Dr Daisy Dent
Funded by: The Carnegie Trust
01/01/2012–01/03/2012

Outputs

Article

Wet and dry tropical forests show opposite successional pathways in wood density but converge over time

Poorter L, Rozendaal DMA, Bongers F, de Almeida-Cortez JS, Almeyda Zambrano AM, Alvarez FS, Andrade JL, Villa LFA, Balvanera P, Becknell JM, Bentos TV, Bhaskar R, Boukili V, Brancalion PHS & Dent DH (2019) Wet and dry tropical forests show opposite successional pathways in wood density but converge over time. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3, pp. 928-934. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-0882-6

Article

Biodiversity recovery of Neotropical secondary forests

Rozendaal DMA, Bongers F, Aide TM, Alvarez-Davila E, Ascarrunz N, Balvanera P, Becknell JM, Bentos TV, Brancalion PHS, Cabral GAL, Calvo-Rodriguez S, Chave J, Cesar RG, Chazdon RL & Dent DH (2019) Biodiversity recovery of Neotropical secondary forests. Science Advances, 5 (3), Art. No.: eaau3114. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau3114

Article

Connectivity with primary forest determines the value of secondary tropical forests for bird conservation

Mayhew RJ, Tobias JA, Bunnefeld L & Dent DH (2019) Connectivity with primary forest determines the value of secondary tropical forests for bird conservation. Biotropica, 51 (2), pp. 219-233. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12629

Article

Instability of insular tree communities in an Amazonian mega-dam is driven by impaired recruitment and altered species composition

Jones I, Peres C, Benchimol M, Bunnefeld L & Dent D (2019) Instability of insular tree communities in an Amazonian mega-dam is driven by impaired recruitment and altered species composition. Journal of Applied Ecology, 56 (3), pp. 779-791. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13313

Article

Legume abundance along successional and rainfall gradients in Neotropical forests

Gei M, Rozendaal DMA, Poorter L, Bongers F, Sprent JI, Garner MD, Aide TM, Andrade JL, Balvanera P, Becknell JM, Brancalion PHS, Cabral GAL, Cesar RG, Chazdon RL & Dent DH (2018) Legume abundance along successional and rainfall gradients in Neotropical forests. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 2 (7), pp. 1104-1111. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0559-6

Article

Canopy bird assemblages are less influenced by habitat age and isolation than understory bird assemblages in Neotropical secondary forest

Bradfer-Lawrence T, Gardner N & Dent D (2018) Canopy bird assemblages are less influenced by habitat age and isolation than understory bird assemblages in Neotropical secondary forest. Ecology and Evolution, 8 (11), pp. 5586-5597. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4086

Article

Woody lianas increase in dominance and maintain compositional integrity across an Amazonian dam-induced fragmented landscape

Jones IL, Peres CA, Benchimol M, Bunnefeld L & Dent DH (2017) Woody lianas increase in dominance and maintain compositional integrity across an Amazonian dam-induced fragmented landscape. PLoS ONE, 12 (10), Art. No.: e0185527. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185527

Article

Bat use of commercial coniferous plantations at multiple spatial scales: Management and conservation implications

Kirkpatrick L, Maher SJ, Lopez Z, Lintott PR, Bailey S, Dent D & Park K (2017) Bat use of commercial coniferous plantations at multiple spatial scales: Management and conservation implications. Biological Conservation, 206, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.11.018

Article

Leaf traits of dipterocarp species with contrasting distributions across a gradient of nutrient and light availability

Dent D & Burslem DFRP (2016) Leaf traits of dipterocarp species with contrasting distributions across a gradient of nutrient and light availability. Plant Ecology and Diversity, 9 (5-6), pp. 521-533. https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2016.1265018

Article

Extinction debt on reservoir land-bridge islands

Jones IL, Bunnefeld N, Jump A, Peres CA & Dent D (2016) Extinction debt on reservoir land-bridge islands. Biological Conservation, 199, pp. 75-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.036

Article

Carbon sequestration potential of second-growth forest regeneration in the Latin American tropics

Chazdon RL, Broadbent EN, Rozendaal DMA, Bongers F, Almeyda Zambrano AM, Aide TM, Balvanera P, Becknell JM, Boukili V, Brancalion PHS, Craven DJ, Almeida-Cortez JS, Cabral GAL, de Jong B & Dent D (2016) Carbon sequestration potential of second-growth forest regeneration in the Latin American tropics. Science Advances, 2 (5), Art. No.: e1501639. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1501639

Article

Biomass resilience of Neotropical secondary forests

Poorter L, Bongers F, Aide TM, Almeyda Zambrano AM, Balvanera P, Becknell JM, Boukili V, Brancalion PHS, Broadbent EN, Chazdon RL, Craven DJ, Almeida-Cortez JS, Cabral GAL, de Jong B, Denslow JS & Dent D (2016) Biomass resilience of Neotropical secondary forests. Nature, 530 (7589), pp. 211-214. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16512

Article

Forest regeneration under Tectona grandis and Terminalia amazonia plantation stands managed for biodiversity conservation in western Panama

Wolfe BT, Dent D, Deago J & Wishnie MH (2015) Forest regeneration under Tectona grandis and Terminalia amazonia plantation stands managed for biodiversity conservation in western Panama. New Forests, 46 (1), pp. 157-165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-014-9448-2

Article

A trait-based trade-off between growth and mortality: Evidence from 15 tropical tree species using size-specific relative growth rates

Philipson CD, Dent D, O'Brien MJ, Chamagne J, Dzulkifli D, Nilus R, Philips S, Reynolds G, Saner P & Hector A (2014) A trait-based trade-off between growth and mortality: Evidence from 15 tropical tree species using size-specific relative growth rates. Ecology and Evolution, 4 (18), pp. 3675-3688. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1186

Article

Secondary forests of central Panama increase in similarity to old-growth forest over time in shade tolerance but not species composition

Dent D, DeWalt SJ & Denslow JS (2013) Secondary forests of central Panama increase in similarity to old-growth forest over time in shade tolerance but not species composition. Journal of Vegetation Science, 24 (3), pp. 530-542. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2012.01482.x

Article

Scale-dependence of aboveground carbon accumulation in secondary forests of Panama: A test of the intermediate peak hypothesis

Mascaro J, Asner GP, Dent D, DeWalt SJ & Denslow JS (2012) Scale-dependence of aboveground carbon accumulation in secondary forests of Panama: A test of the intermediate peak hypothesis. Forest Ecology and Management, 276, pp. 62-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2012.03.032

Article

Seasonal variability of photosynthetic characteristics influences growth of eight tropical tree species at two sites with contrasting precipitation in Panama

Craven DJ, Dent D, Braden D, Ashton MS, Berlyn GP & Hall JS (2011) Seasonal variability of photosynthetic characteristics influences growth of eight tropical tree species at two sites with contrasting precipitation in Panama. Forest Ecology and Management, 261 (10), pp. 1643-1653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2010.09.017

Article

Early growth and survival of 49 tropical tree species across sites differing in soil fertility and rainfall in Panama

van Breugel M, Hall JS, Craven DJ, Gregoire TG, Park A, Dent D, Wishnie MH, Mariscal E, Deago J, Ibarra D, Cedeno N & Ashton MS (2011) Early growth and survival of 49 tropical tree species across sites differing in soil fertility and rainfall in Panama. Forest Ecology and Management, 261 (10), pp. 1580-1589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2010.08.019

Article

Defining the conservation value of secondary tropical forests

Dent D (2010) Defining the conservation value of secondary tropical forests. Animal Conservation, 13 (1), pp. 14-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2010.00346.x

Article

The future of tropical species in secondary forests: A quantitative review

Dent D & Wright SJ (2009) The future of tropical species in secondary forests: A quantitative review. Biological Conservation, 142 (12), pp. 2833-2843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.05.035

Article

The Potential for Species Conservation in Tropical Secondary Forests

Chazdon RL, Peres CA, Dent D, Sheil D, Lugo AE, Lamb D, Stork NE & Miller SE (2009) The Potential for Species Conservation in Tropical Secondary Forests. Conservation Biology, 23 (6), pp. 1406-1417. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01338.x

Article

Performance Trade-offs Driven by Morphological Plasticity Contribute to Habitat Specialization of Bornean Tree Species

Dent D & Burslem DFRP (2009) Performance Trade-offs Driven by Morphological Plasticity Contribute to Habitat Specialization of Bornean Tree Species. Biotropica, 41 (4), pp. 424-434.

Article

Rehabilitating abandoned pastures in Panama: Control of the invasive exotic grass, saccharum Spontaneum L., using artificial shade treatments

Kim TJ, Montagnini F & Dent D (2008) Rehabilitating abandoned pastures in Panama: Control of the invasive exotic grass, saccharum Spontaneum L., using artificial shade treatments. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 26 (3), pp. 192-203. https://doi.org/10.1080/10549810701879719

Article

Explaining leaf herbivory rates on tree seedlings in a Malaysian rain forest

Eichhorn MP, Fagan KC, Compton SG, Dent D & Hartley SE (2007) Explaining leaf herbivory rates on tree seedlings in a Malaysian rain forest. Biotropica, 39 (3), pp. 416-421. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00264.x

Article

Initial performance and reforestation potential of 24 tropical tree species planted across a precipitation gradient in the Republic of Panama

Wishnie MH, Dent D, Mariscal E, Deago J, Cedeno N, Ibarra D, Condit R & Ashton MS (2007) Initial performance and reforestation potential of 24 tropical tree species planted across a precipitation gradient in the Republic of Panama. Forest Ecology and Management, 243 (1), pp. 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2007.02.001

Article

Between and within-site comparisons of structural and physiological characteristics and foliar nutrient content of 14 tree species at a wet, fertile site and a dry, infertile site in Panama

Craven DJ, Braden D, Ashton MS, Berlyn GP, Wishnie MH & Dent D (2007) Between and within-site comparisons of structural and physiological characteristics and foliar nutrient content of 14 tree species at a wet, fertile site and a dry, infertile site in Panama. Forest Ecology and Management, 238 (1-3), pp. 335-346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.10.030

Article

Nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition vary across a gradient of soil nutrient supply in a lowland tropical rain forest

Dent D, Bagchi R, Robinson D, Majalap-Lee N & Burslem DFRP (2006) Nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition vary across a gradient of soil nutrient supply in a lowland tropical rain forest. Plant and Soil, 288 (1-2), pp. 197-215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-006-9108-1

Article

Investigation of shading as a method for controlling wild sugarcane on abandoned lands (Panama) (Notes and Abstracts)

Kim TJ, Montagnini F, Cedeno N, Dent D & Mariscal E (2006) Investigation of shading as a method for controlling wild sugarcane on abandoned lands (Panama) (Notes and Abstracts). Ecological Restoration, 24 (3), pp. 203-204. http://er.uwpress.org/content/24/3.toc