Liam A. Trethowan

Bio: Liam A. Trethowan is an academic researcher from Royal Botanic Gardens. The author has contributed to research in topics: Ecology & Geography. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 9 publications receiving 48 citations. Previous affiliations of Liam A. Trethowan include Manchester Metropolitan University.

Opportunities and challenges for an Indonesian forest monitoring network

Abstract: Permanent sampling plots (PSPs) are a powerful and reliable methodology to help our understanding of the diversity and dynamics of tropical forests. Based on the current inventory of PSPs in Indonesia, there is high potential to establish a long-term collaborative forest monitoring network. Whilst there are challenges to initiating such a network, there are also innumerable benefits to help us understand and better conserve these exceptionally diverse ecosystems.

Tree species diversity and ethnobotany of degraded peat swamp forest in central kalimantan

Abstract: KALIMA, T, SUHARTI, S, SUMARHANI & TRETHOWAN, L A 2020 Tree species diversity and ethnobotany of degraded peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan Reinwardtia 19(1): 27‒54 ‒‒ Most peat swamp forest has been degraded This has resulted in decline of its biodiversity The objective of this study was to identify the composition, diversity, and plants used by local people in Bagantung swamp forest The study was conducted on degraded peat swamp forest area in Bagantung, Mantangai Sub-District, Kapuas District, Central Kalimantan Province The Shannon-Wiener (H’) and the Importance Value (IV) indices were used for analyzing the species diversity and the species importance across a number of forest plots Useful tree species were identified by interviewing local villagers There were 2,562 individual plants in 32 plots (each plot 20 m × 20 m) We identified 100 tree species and 16 non-tree species, from 74 genera, and 46 families Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae, Ebenaceae, Dipterocarpaceae and Clusiaceae were the most dominant families Large tree (H’=146) and small tree diversity was similar (H’=175) In both small and large tree size classes Calophyllum nodusum was the most dominant species There were 16 tree species and two non-tree species used by local people for house and boat construction, furniture, handicrafts, medicine, and insect repellent

A synopsis of the neotropical genus Schnella (Cercideae: Caesalpinioideae: Leguminosae) including 12 new combinations

Abstract: The genus Bauhinia sens. lat . formerly accommodated numerous species that have now been transferred to one of several segregate genera. One of those genera, Schnella , includes all neotropical liana species with tendrils. This study comprises a summary of the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of Schnella , and presents a list of names accepted under Schnella , including 12 new combinations. We recognise here a total of 53 taxa including 47 species . Distribution details for each taxon are given, illustrated with a map showing numbers of taxa within the TDWG regions of the neotropics. Within Schnella , there exist two morphologically and palynologically distinguishable groups of species. Further work, including a molecular-based study, will be needed to discover whether those two species groups are congeneric.

Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

Abstract: The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers. Examining drivers of the latitudinal biodiversity gradient in a global database of local tree species richness, the authors show that co-limitation by multiple environmental and anthropogenic factors causes steeper increases in richness with latitude in tropical versus temperate and boreal zones.

What Drives Academic Data Sharing

Abstract: Despite widespread support from policy makers, funding agencies, and scientific journals, academic researchers rarely make their research data available to others. At the same time, data sharing in research is attributed a vast potential for scientific progress. It allows the reproducibility of study results and the reuse of old data for new research questions. Based on a systematic review of 98 scholarly papers and an empirical survey among 603 secondary data users, we develop a conceptual framework that explains the process of data sharing from the primary researcher’s point of view. We show that this process can be divided into six descriptive categories: Data donor, research organization, research community, norms, data infrastructure, and data recipients. Drawing from our findings, we discuss theoretical implications regarding knowledge creation and dissemination as well as research policy measures to foster academic collaboration. We conclude that research data cannot be regarded a knowledge commons, but research policies that better incentivize data sharing are needed to improve the quality of research results and foster scientific progress.

Version 1.1.

Abstract: This document provides a list of terms and abbreviations in the context of orchestration, automation and virtualisation. Definitions were provided based on standardisation documents whenever possible, some also extended to reflect the understanding of the terms as used by a large number of NRENs in the GÉANT community. As of version 1.1, the document has also been adopted by the GNA-G Network Automation working group as their reference terminology.

Genome Alignment Spanning Major Poaceae Lineages Reveals Heterogeneous Evolutionary Rates and Alters Inferred Dates for Key Evolutionary Events

Abstract: Multiple comparisons among genomes can clarify their evolution, speciation, and functional innovations. To date, the genome sequences of eight grasses representing the most economically important Poaceae (grass) clades have been published, and their genomic-level comparison is an essential foundation for evolutionary, functional, and translational research. Using a formal and conservative approach, we aligned these genomes. Direct comparison of paralogous gene pairs all duplicated simultaneously reveal striking variation in evolutionary rates among whole genomes, with nucleotide substitution slowest in rice and up to 48% faster in other grasses, adding a new dimension to the value of rice as a grass model. We reconstructed ancestral genome contents for major evolutionary nodes, potentially contributing to understanding the divergence and speciation of grasses. Recent fossil evidence suggests revisions of the estimated dates of key evolutionary events, implying that the pan-grass polyploidization occurred ∼96 million years ago and could not be related to the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction as previously inferred. Adjusted dating to reflect both updated fossil evidence and lineage-specific evolutionary rates suggested that maize subgenome divergence and maize-sorghum divergence were virtually simultaneous, a coincidence that would be explained if polyploidization directly contributed to speciation. This work lays a solid foundation for Poaceae translational genomics.