Skip to content

School of Geography and the Environment

Doctoral Student: Nathalie Butt

Nathalie Butt

Completed May 2009

Title:

Investigation of the climate drivers/constraints of plant distributions across the Amazon basin

Profile

I am interested in the relationship between climate and biodiversity - my thesis explores the influence of climate and radiation on forest composition and productivity in the Amazon basin. Within the global framework of atmospheric change, numerous strands of evidence show that even remote tropical forests are undergoing profound alterations, and Amazon forests have increased in biomass over the last two decades, while tropical forests generally have become more productive and dynamic. The mechanisms of biodiversity distribution within this region are key to our understanding of global forest composition and dynamics. The research investigates novel aspects of the relationship between climate, climate change and biodiversity in this ecologically important region and characterises climate-biodiversity interactions (specifically precipitation and solar radiation), in terms of forest ecosystem dynamics across Amazonia. I have worked intensively with large datasets of long-term plot census (Gentry data from SALVIAS; RAINFOR plot data), field station climate data, and satellite radiation data. Correlation of long-term precipitation and diffuse radiation patterns with the changes in proportions of different woody plant groups in several Amazon regions indicates that forests in the western Amazon are more dynamic and productive than elsewhere, and that forest composition may be changing with climate and becoming increasingly drought tolerant.

Nathalie gained a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Biology from Oxford Brookes University in 1998 and then worked for the Environmental Change Institute for several years before commencing her DPhil. Previous research work has focussed both specifically on tropical forests - fire ecology research for ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) - and on forests more widely: for the IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organisations) Global State of Knowledge Report 2000 for the UN and other organisations. Other earlier work at the Environmental Change Institute included the MONARCH and ACCELERATES projects, which was concerned with the prediction of future climate suitability ‘envelopes’ for species in the UK and Europe using an artificial neural network model.

She is also presently Project Co-ordinator with the Smithsonian/CTFS (Centre for Tropical Forest Science) programme and has recently completed the fieldwork and initial ground survey for the setting up of the large long-term plot at Wytham Wood in Oxford, which has been a great opportunity to be part of the larger CTFS extension into temperate systems. The installation of an 18-hectare plot where all trees greater than 1 cm in diameter were identified, measured and mapped (a total of 20,000 trees!). This work was implemented by Dr. Nathalie Butt and funded by the Smithsonian Institution and HSBC, as part of the creation of the Global Forest Observation Network (GFON). GFON aims to co-ordinate long term monitoring of the ecology and dynamics of selected forests across the world, and includes sites across the tropics, and in North America and East Asia. Wytham is the first GFON site in Europe, and thus a flagship site for long-term ecological monitoring of forests. To build on this work, an extensive soil survey has now been carried out, to quantify soil carbon and nutrient properties, and a network of long term ground-flora monitoring quadrats installed. Changes in the ground layer composition over time can thus be measured along with changes in the canopy.

Publications

  • Butt, N., New, M., Malhi, Y., da Costa, A. C. L., Oliveira, P., Silva-Espejo, J. E. Diffuse radiation and cloud fraction relationships in two contrasting Amazonian rainforest sites. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, in press.
  • Butt, N., M. New, G. Lizcano, and Y. Malhi (2009), Spatial patterns and recent trends in cloud fraction and cloud-related diffuse radiation in Amazonia, J. Geophys. Res., 114, D21104, doi:10.1029/2009JD012217.
  • Butt, N, Campbell, G., Malhi, Y., Morecroft, M., Fenn, K. and Thomas, M. (2009)Initial Results from Establishment of a Long-term Broadleaf Monitoring Plot at Wytham Woods, Oxford, UK. University of Oxford Report.
  • Butt, N., M. New, G. Lizcano, and Y. Malhi (2009) Spatial patterns and trends in cloud fraction and cloud-related diffuse radiation in Amazonia. J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2009JD012217, in press.
  • Butt, N., Malhi, Y., Phillips, O.L. and New, M. (2008). Floristic and functional affiliations of woody plants with climate in western Amazonia. Journal of Biogeography, 35(5), 939-950.
  • P.A. Harrison, P.M. Berry, N. Butt and M. New. (2006). Modelling climate change impacts on species' distributions at the European scale: implications for conservation policy. Environmental Science and Policy, March, 9 (2), 116-128
  • G. del Barrio, P.A. Harrison, P.M. Berry, N. Butt, M.E. Sanjuan, R.G. Pearson and T. Dawson. (2006). Integrating multiple modelling approaches to predict the potential impacts of climate change on species' distributions in contrasting regions: comparison and implications for policy. Environmental Science and Policy, March, 9 (2), 129-147
  • Berry, P.M., and Butt, N. (2002). Climate Change Impacts on Raised Peat Bogs: a case study of Thorne, Crowle, Goole and Hatfield Moors. English Nature Researc Report 457, Peterborough.
  • Dawson, T.P., Butt, N. and Miller, F. (2002). The ecology of forest fires. ASEAN Biodiversity, 1(3), 18-21.
  • Berry, P.M., Harrison, P.M., Dawson., Pearson, R.G. and Butt, N. (2003). The sensitivity and vulnerability of terrestrial habitats and species in Britain and Ireland to climate change. Journal for Nature Conservation.
  • Berry, P.M., Vanhinsbergh, D., Viles, H.A., Harrison, P.A., Pearson, R.G., Fuller, R., Butt, N. and Miller, F. (2001). Impacts on terrestrial environments. In: Harrison, P.A. et al., (Eds.) 2001. Modelling natural resource responses to climate change: The MONARCH Project. UKCIP.
  • Butt, N., Price, M.F. (Eds.) (2000). Mountain People, Forests and Trees: Strategies for Balancing Local Management and Outside Interests. The Mountain Institute.
  • Price, M.F. and Butt N., (Eds.) (2000). Forests in sustainable mountain development: A state-of-knowledge report for 2000. CAB International, Wallingford.
  • Robertson, E., Butt, N. (2000). Appendix N: Natural Gas and Northern Ireland – the implications of connection. In: Fawcett, T., Lane, K., Boardman, B. (2000) Lower Carbon Futures, for European Households, Energy and Environment Programme, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, UK.

Conference presentations

  • Malhado, A.C.M., Butt, N., Whittaker, R.J., Malhi, Y, & New, M. (2007). How do tropical forests respond to drought? A spatial analysis of leaf traits and drought resistant genera across the Amazon basin. 3rd International Biogeography Society, Tenerife, Spain (January 9-13, 2007).
  • Butt, N., Malhi, Y., Phillips, O., &New, M. (2008). Floristic and functional affiliations of woody plants with climate in western Amazonia. BES Tropical Ecology Group 2nd Early Career Researcher Meeting University of Oxford (March 18-19, 2008) and 4th LBA Meeting, Manaus, Brazil (November 17-20 2008).