Dr. Rama Chandra Prasad is a co-author of a research article published in National Science Review (2026) titled – Analogous environments across the tropics have similar levels of tree species alpha diversity. The study uses data from 429 standardized one-hectare forest plots across the global tropics and advanced spatial machine-learning models to demonstrate that similar environmental conditions support comparable levels of local tree species richness across continents. Despite major differences in regional species pools and evolutionary histories, the findings reveal a striking convergence in the relationship between environment and local-scale tree diversity. The work represents a large global collaborative effort, involving researchers and institutions from across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, highlighting the institute’s contribution to internationally coordinated, high-impact ecological research.

January 2026