Tropical
Ecology and forest ecology
Rainforests are the ‘green lung reservoir’ of the world, but are disappearing at a unprecedented speed. Biodiversity of rainforests is megadiverse and exceptionally complex, and many new species of animals and plants are discovered every year in this type of habitat. In addition, some of the most virulent diseases known to humans appeared to come out from rainforest destruction. Ebola virus is just the most famous of these diseases. IDECC staff has been working for over 20 years in the field research on the ecology and conservation of tropical rainforests, including evergreen moist forests, deciduous forests, and mangroves. Field research areas have been the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria, the Togolese hills at the border between Togo and Ghana, and the rainforests of south-western Ivory Coast. Some of the IDECC staff are among the most cited tropical forest ecologists worldwide.