Abstract booklet - gtö – Society for Tropical Ecology

186 SCIENTIFIC POSTER SESSION | FOYERSCIENTIFIC POSTER SESSION | FOYER187Topic: Tropical island biodiversity: magnitude, function and conservationTopic: Tropical ecologists at work: where and how to find a jobON THE SUNNY SIDE - EPIPHYTE ASSEMBLAGES OF DECIDUOUSAND EVERGREEN TREES IN A TROPICAL LOWLAND FORESTREQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRIVATE CONSULTANCY JOB MARKET - AFIRST HAND DAILY EXPERIENCE REPORTHelena Einzmann 1 , Joachim Beyschlag 2 , Wolfgang Wanek 3 , GerhardZotz 4Thomas R. Engel 1 , Christine Bohn 1WEDNESDAY | FOYER1CvO Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, DE, helena.roka@web.de, 2 CvOUniversität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, DE, 3 University of Vienna, Wien, AT, 4 CvOUniversität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, DEThe stunning species diversity in the tropics has provoked the current debateon neutral vs. deterministic processes in ecology. Vascular epiphytes are a majorcomponent of this phytodiversity and current research tries to understand theunderlying mechanisms. Here, we focus on a possibly deterministic effect ofhost tree phenology on epiphyte assemblages. During the 2010 dry season weconducted a quantitative study of epiphyte assemblages in four tree species onBCI, Panama. In this tropical lowland forest epiphytes on deciduous trees areexposed to much higher evaporation and radiation in the host’s leafless phase.We found significantly lower species richness for deciduous Pseudobombaxseptenatum compared to evergreen Anacardium excelsum and Brosimumalicastrum and semi-deciduous Ceiba pentandra, whereas the CAM-epiphytes’proportion was lowest in Anacardium. Moreover, there was intraspecificvariation: common epiphytes had significantly lower δ13C values in Anacardiumthan individuals in the other trees. The differentiation of epiphyte assemblageson deciduous and evergreen trees at the intra and interspecific level will befurther analysed by growth measurements in 2011.1AMBERO Consulting, Kronberg i.Ts., DE, engel_tr@web.de; engel@ambero.deAMBERO Consulting is a private enterprise specialized in typical developmentcooperation challenges such as land use and regional planning, naturalresource and risk management, rural, community and local businessdevelopment, participation, decentralization, institutional development andgood governance.Our tasks in the international development cooperation include the preparation,management, implementation and evaluation of development projects, theirexpert monitoring and the design, development and distribution of innovativemethods and processes as well as the consultancies of other companies therein.Our clients are e.g. GTZ, KfW, EU, InWEnt, BGR, FAO, UN, World Bank and nationalinstitutions abroad.To provide best possible services and convince clients in the tender competition,suitable short- and long-term junior and senior consultants with a projectrelatedtechnical and regional expertise are required.Based on practical examples, we will provide a first hand inside look in the dailybusiness of consultancy head hunting and elucidate the requirements andchances for a successful consultant career for tropical ecologists and scientistsin related fields.Wednesday WEDNESDAY 16:00 | FOYER | FoyergtöSociety for Tropical Ecology | Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie e.V. Status and future of tropical biodiversity | Frankfurt, 21 - 24 February 2011gtö