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| Name |
Bawa, Kamaljit S. |
| Location
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University of Massachusetts at Boston |
| Primary Field
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Human Environmental Sciences |
| Secondary Field
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Environmental Sciences and Ecology |
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 Research Interests
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Kamaljit Bawa is known for his work on the ecology conservation, and sustainable use of tropical forests. His groundbreaking work elucidated the role of unique reproductive systems in the origin and maintenance of tree diversity in tropical forests. He discovered new breeding systems, flowering patterns and pollination mechanisms that led him to proposed new hypotheses about the evolution of breeding systems, and speciation in tropical trees. Kamaljit Bawa identified drivers of deforestation in the tropics, examined the impact of deforestation on genetic diversity of trees, and developed methods to manage tropical forests for sustainable extraction of non-timber forest tree species. Kamaljit Bawa also established the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in India, now ranked among the 20 environmental think tanks of the world. Moreover, he developed strategic plans for conservation in biodiversity hotspots, identified priorities for biodiversity science in the tropics, and a national mission on biodiversity and human well-being in India that could serve as a global model for conserving biodiversity. His current work is focused on approaches and institutions needed to address global sustainability challenges. |
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