Research interests
I have a broad range of research interests focussed largely but not exclusively on tropical forest ecology. I am currently mainly concerned with the potential effects climate change on the distribution and abundance of tropical organisms. This on-going research involves developing and testing methods for effectively modelling tree species distributions at a regional scale.
My 2001 doctoral thesis entitled “The dynamics of disturbed Mexican Pine Oak Forest: A modelling approach” combined individual based computer modelling at the University of Edinburgh with field research in Chiapas in order to further understanding of the complex successional patterns of highland forests. Some of the main findings have been summarised in a recent book chapter (see publications)
In order to generalise understanding to a wider regional scale I became interested in the use of Geographical Information Systems, image classification and spatial modelling. This led to a productive, ongoing collaboration with my colleague and friend Luis Cayuela, currently employed at the University of Alcala, Madrid.
During the time I have spent in Mexico I have come to understand that ecological research in the tropics has to address many common challenges related to data quality and quantity. A theme to my work has thus been the use of contemporary computer modelling and statistics in order to extract inference from “difficult” data sets. This has led to an interest in the use of Bayesian methods in the search for more robust forms of inference under uncertainty.
I am responsible for a course the use of computer simulation as a research tool at post graduate level. I also gain a great deal of satisfaction from participating in more applied research and courses on Ecological Restoration and Conservation.
Publications
The linked file can be imported into endnote or reference manager. golicher.doc
Golicher D.J., Cayuela L., Alkemade J.R.M., González-Espinosa M. and Ramírez-Marcial N. 2007.
Applying climatically associated species pools to the modelling of compositional change in
tropical montane forests. Global Ecology and Biogeography 10.1111/j.1466-823.
Golicher J.D., O’Hara R.B., Ruíz-Montoya L., Cayuela L. 2006. Lifting a veil on diversity: a
bayesian approach to fitting relative-abundance models. Ecological Applications. 16(1): 202-
212.
Golicher J.D, Ramírez-Marcial N., y Levy-Tacher S.I. 2006. Correlations between precipitation
patterns in Southern Mexico and the El Niño sea surface temperature index. Interciencia. 31(2):
Golicher D. and Newton A.C. 2007. Applying succession models to the conservation of tropical
montane forest. En: Newton A.C. (Ed.). Biodiversity loss and conservation in fragmented forest
landscapes: the forests of montane Mexico and temperate South America. CAB International.
Wallingford, United Kingdom. pp. 200-222
Cayuela L., Golicher D.J., Rey Benayas J.M., González-Espinosa M. & Ramírez-Marcial N. 2006.
Fragmentation, disturbance and tree diversity conservation in tropical montane forests. Journal
of Applied Ecology. 43: 1172-1181
Newton A.C., Stewart G.B., Diaz A., Golicher D., Pullin A.S. 2007. Bayesian Belief Networks as a
tool for evidence-based conservation management. Journal for Nature Conservation 15: 144-
160.
Newton A.C., Marshall E., Schreckenberg K., Golicher D., te Velde D.W., Edouard F. & Arancibia E.
2006. Use of a bayesian belief network to predict the impacts of commercializing non-timber
forest products on livelihoods. Ecology and Society. 11(2): 24. [online] URL:
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss2/art24
Van der Wal H., Golicher J.D., Caudillo-Caudillo S., Vargas-Domínguez M. 2006. Plant densities,
yields and area demands for maize under shifting cultivation in the Chinantla, Mexico.
Agrociencia. 40: 449-460
Cayuela L., Golicher J.D. and Rey-Benayas J.M. 2006. The extent, distribution, and fragmentation
of vanishing montane cloud forest in the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Biotrópica. 38(4): 544-
554
Cayuela L., Golicher J.D., Salas Rey J., Rey Benayas J.M. 2006. Classification of a complex
landscape using Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence. International Journal of Remote Sensing.
27(10): 1951-1971
Diemont S.A.W., Martin J.F., Levy-Tacher S.I., Nigh R.B., Ramirez Lopez P., Golicher J.D. 2006.
Lacandon Maya forest management: Restoration of soil fertility using native tree species.
Ecological Engineering. 28: 205-212
González-Espinosa M., Rey-Benayas J.M., Ramírez-Marcial N., Huston M.A., Golicher D. 2004.
Tree diversity in the northern Neotropics: regional patterns in highly diverse Chiapas, Mexico.
Ecography. 27(6): 741-756
Levy Tacher S., Golicher D. 2004. How predictive is traditional ecological knowledge? the case
of the lacandon maya fallow enrichment system. Interciencia. 29(9): 496-502.
