Dr Mike Massam

My research centers on ecology and conservation of tropical forests, with particular emphasis on selective logging and its impact on plant communities. I have a computational background and use a combination of field data, statistics, and simulation-based approaches to further our understanding of these complex ecosystems and their responses to disturbances.

During my PhD, I focused on understanding how large canopy tree communities are shaped by environmental gradients and how seed dispersal capacity determines species' spatial aggregation. I also investigated the response of seedling communities across a gradient of selective logging intensity to determine thresholds of unsustainable logging.  I then spent three years as a post-doc developing a novel statistical framework to disentangle the evolutionary, environmental, and ecological factors driving trait variation. This framework will enable us to determine the factors that are critical for maintaining resilient tropical forests.

In my post-doc at University of Cambridge, I am working with the Centre for Global Wood Security to determine sustainable harvesting rates for exploited tree species across the tropics. Using simulation-based approaches backed by extensive field data, this research will inform timber production practices to ensure long-term wood security.