Shekhar Biswas

2008 -2013 PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (focus: spatial ecology), University of Toronto, Canada

2006-2008 MSc in Biology, Lakehead University (focus: plant ecology), Canada

2000-2002 MS in Forestry, Khulna University (focus: forest ecology), Bangladesh

1995-1999 BSc (Hon's) in Forestry,Khulna University, Bangladesh

2017- Reserach Professor and Zijiang Young Scholar, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, ECNU

2015-2017 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Canada

2014-2015 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada

2013-2014 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Canada

2003-2006 Program Officer, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh

Shekhar R. Biswas, Ph.D.

Research Professor

School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences,

East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China

shekhar@des.ecnu.edu.cn 

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9203-2488

 2008 – 2013                  PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (University of Toronto, Canada)

2006 – 2008                  MSc in Biology, Department of Biology (Lakehead University, Canada)

2000 – 2002                  MSc in Forestry (Khulna University, Bangladesh)

2017 – 2020               Research Professor and Zijiang Young Scholar, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, China

 2015 – 2017               Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Canada

 2014 – 2015               Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Biology, York University, Canada

 2013 – 2014               Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Biology, Lakehead University, Canada

2003 – 2006               Program Officer, IUCN- Bangladesh Country Office; Ecosystem and Landscape Management Unit.

The focus of my academic research lies at the interface of conservation biology and spatial ecology, with specific interests in: (1) understanding the effects of stressors such as habitat disturbance, anthropogenic land use change, climate change and biological invasion on species and functional diversity of ecological communities across spatial and temporal scales, (2) quantifying variations in ecological processes in spatially and temporally heterogeneous landscapes, (3) examining the effects of scale on ecosystem functions and services and (4) developing nature-based approaches to address socio-ecological challenges. To that end, I have focused on a number of systems: Canadian boreal forests, sub-tropical evergreen forest of China, tropical mangroves and Canadian freshwater lakes; and focused on plants and fishes.

In summary:

n  Published 33 peer-reviewed articles

n  Currently serving as an Associate Editor for Biodiversity and Conservation

n  Currently serving as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board, Ecological Indicator

n  Mentored 7 graduate students, 1 undergraduate student

Published (peer-reviewed)

33.   Biswas, S. R., Xiang, J. and Li, H. 2021. Disturbance Effects on Spatial Autocorrelation in Biodiversity: An Overview and a Call for Study. diversity13:167.

32.   Tong, X., Li, J.-H., Jiang, K., Li, Y.-Y., Liu, C.-N., Biswas, S., Wang, R. & Chen, X.-Y. (2021) Back to the brink: phylogeography and demographic history of the endangered Torreya jackii. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12728

31    Zheng, L.-T., Chen, H.Y.H., Biswas, S.R., Bao, D.-F., Fang, X.-C., Abdullah, M. & Yan, E.-R. (2021) Diversity and identity of economics traits determine the extent of tree mixture effects on ecosystem productivity. Journal of Ecology 109: 1898-1908.

30.   He, D., Biswas, S. R., Xu, M.-S., Yang, T.-H., You, W.-H. and Yan, E.-R. 2021. The importance of intraspecific trait variability in promoting functional niche dimensionality. Ecography 44:380-390

29.   Dong, H and Biswas, S.R. 2019. Negative relationship between interspecies spatial association and trait dissimilarity. Oikos 128(5): 659-667.

28.   Biswas, S.R., Mallik, A.U., Braithwaite, N.T. and Biswas, PL. 2019. Effects of disturbance type and microhabitat on species and functional diversity relationship in stream-bank plant communities. Forest Ecology and Management 432: 812-822.

27.   Xu, N-N, Jiang, K, Biswas, S.R., Tong, X, Wang, R. and Chen, X-Y. 2019. Clone configuration and spatial genetic structure of two Halophila ovalis populations with contrasting internode lengths. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolutiondoi: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00170

26.   Biswas, S.R., Biswas, P.L., Limon, S.H., Yan, E., Mingshan, X. and Khan, M.S.I. 2018 Plant invasion in mangrove forests worldwide. Forest Ecology and Management 429: 480-492.

25.   Chen, H.Y.H,Biswas, S. R.,Sobey, T.M, Brassard, B.W. and Bartels, S.F. 2018. Reclamation strategies for mined forest soils and overstory drive understory vegetation. Journal of Applied Ecology 55(2): 926-936.

24.  Biswas, S. R.,Vogt, R. J. and Sharma, S. 2017. Compositional shifts and loss of ecosystem services in freshwater fish communities under climate change scenarios. Hydrobiologia799: 135-149.

23.   Chen, H.Y.H., Luo, Y., Reich, P.B., Searle, E.B. and Biswas, S.R. 2016. Climate change associated trends in net biomass change are age-dependent in western boreal forests of Canada. Ecology Letters 19: 1150-1158.

22.   Biswas, S.R., MacDonald, R.L., and Chen, H.Y.H. 2016. Disturbance increases negative spatial autocorrelation in species diversity. Landscape Ecology 32(4): 823-834.

21.   Biswas, S. R., Mallik, A. U., Braithwaite, N. T. and Wagner, H. H. 2016. A conceptual framework for the spatial analysis of functional trait diversity. Oikos125: 192–200.

20.   Mallik. A. U, Biswas, S. R., and Siegwart-Collier, L. C. 2016. Belowground interactions between Kalmia angustifolia and Piceamariana: roles of competition, root exudates and ectomycorrhizal association. Plant and Soil 403: 471- 483.

19.   Biswas, S. R. and Wagner, H. H. 2015. Spatial structure in invasive Alliaria petiolata reflects restricted seed dispersal. Biological Invasions 17:3211–3223.

18.   Xiaoping Guo, X., Chen, H.Y.H., Meng, M., Biswas, S.R., Ye, L. and Zhang, J. 2016. Effects of land use change on the composition of soil microbial communities in a managed subtropical forest. Forest Ecology and Management 373: 93-99.

17.  Harper, K. A., Macdonald, S. E., Mayerhofer, M. S., Biswas, S. R., Esseen, P.-A., Hylander, K., Stewart, K. J., Mallik, A. U., Drapeau, P., Jonsson, B.-G., Lesieur, D., Kouki, J., Bergeron, Y. 2015. Edge influence on vegetation at natural and anthropogenic edges of boreal forests in Canada and Fennoscandia. Journal of Ecology 103: 550–562.

15.  Biswas, S.R., Kotanen, P.M., Kambo, D. and Wagner 2015. Context-dependent patterns, determinants and demographic consequences of herbivory in an invasive species. Biological Invasions17:165–178.

14.  Biswas, S. R. and Wagner, H. H. 2014. A temporal dimension to the stress gradient hypothesis for intraspecific interactions. Oikos 123: 1323–1330.

13. Biswas, S.R. and Wagner, H.H. 2012. Landscape contrast: a solution to hidden assumptions in the metacommunity concept? Landscape Ecology 27:621-631.

12.  Biswas, S.R., Mallik, A.U. and Khan M.S.I. 2012. Invaders control on post-disturbance succession in coastal mangroves. Journal of Plant Ecology 5(2): 157-166.

11.   Biswas, S.R. and Mallik, A.U. 2011. Species diversity and functional diversity relationship varies with disturbance intensity. Ecosphere2(4):art52. doi:10.1890/ES10-00206.

10.  Biswas, S.R. and Mallik, A.U. 2010. Disturbance effects on species diversity and functional diversity in riparian and upland plant communities. Ecology 91(1): 28-35.

9.     Biswas, S.R., Mallik, A.U., Choudhury, J.K. and Nishat, A. 2009. A unified framework for the restoration of Southeast Asian mangroves - bridging ecology, society and economics. Wetlands Ecology and Management 17: 365-383.

8.     Rashid, S.H., Biswas, S.R., Bocker, R. and Kruse, M. 2009. Mangrove community recovery potential after catastrophic disturbances in Bangladesh. Forest Ecology and Management 257: 923-930.

7.     Biswas, S.R. and Misbahuzzaman, K. 2008. Tree species diversity and regeneration traits of the dominant species in a dipterocarp forest in Bangladesh: implications for conservation. International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management 4(2):81-91.

6.     Biswas, S.R., Choudhury, J.K., Nishat, A. and Rahman, M. 2007. Do invasive plants threaten the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh? Forest Ecology and Management 245 (1/3): 1-9.

5.     Biswas, S.R. and Choudhury, J.K. 2007. Forest and Forestry in Bangladesh: the question of sustainability. International Forestry Review 9(2): 627-640.

4.     Biswas, S.R. 2007. Anthropogenic influences in the natural dipterocarp forests of Bangladesh. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences33(1): 41-52.

3.     Biswas, S.R. and Misbahuzzaman, K. 2006. Structural composition of trees based on diameter class distribution in a dipterocarp dominated natural forests of Bangladesh. Indian Forester132(9):1083-1089.

2.     Nishat, A. and Biswas, S.R. 2005. Community based restoration of degraded tropical hill forests: experiences from Krykhong para, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Bulletin of the National Institute of Ecology, India 16: 1-11.

1.     Khan, M.N.I., Biswas, S.R. and Hoque, A.K.F. 2000.Assessment of various pre-sowing treatments on germination of Teak seeds in Bangladesh. Khulna University Studies 2(1): 135-140.

Technical publications and books

7.    Choudhury, J.K., Biswas, S.R., Islam, S.M., Rahman, O., Uddin, S.N., 2004. Biodiversity of Tilagarh reserved forest, Sylhet. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 20 pp.

6.    Choudhury, J.K., Biswas, S.R., Islam, S.M., Rahman, O., Uddin, S.N., 2004. Biodiversity of Rajeshpur Sal forest, Comilla. IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 21 pp.

5.    Choudhury, J.K., Biswas, S.R., Islam, S.M., Rahman, O., Uddin, S.N., 2004. Biodiversity of Jaflong, Sylhet. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 28 pp.

4.    Choudhury, J.K., Biswas, S.R., Islam, S.M., Rahman, O., Uddin, S.N., 2004. Biodiversity of Ratargul swamp forest, Sylhet. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 24 pp.

3.    Choudhury, J.K., Biswas, S.R., Islam, S.M., Rahman, O., Uddin, S.N., 2004. Biodiversity of Dulahazara safari park, Cox’s Bazar. IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 30 pp.

2.    Choudhury, J.K., Khan, A.SM, Biswas, S.R., and Singh, M.M. 2004. Eco-restoration nursery for the degraded hilly areas of Bangladesh: a community based approach. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 32 pp.

1.    Khan, M.H.K, Khan, S.M. and Biswas, S.R. 2004. Human elephant conflicts in Bangladesh: an assessment of financial loss. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 50 pp.

Book chapters

1.     Biswas, P.L. and Biswas, S.R. 2019. Mangrove forests: Ecology, Management, and Threats. In Leal Filho W. et al. (eds.), Life on Land, Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-71065-5.

2.     Mukul, S.A., Biswas, S.R., Islam, and Rashid, A.Z.M.M. 2018. Biodiversity in Bangladesh. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 20 pp.

3.     Choudhury, J.K., Biswas, S.R., Islam, S.M., Rahman, O., Uddin, S.N., 2004a. Biodiversity of Tilagarh reserved forest, Sylhet. IUCN -The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 20 pp.

2019- Associate Editor, Journal of Applied Ecology, British Ecological Society

2020- Associate Editor, Biodiversity and Conservation

2020 - Member of the Editorial Advisory Board, Ecological Indicator

Journal Reviewer

Global Change Biology, Ecology, Journal of Applied Ecology, New Phytologists, Scientific Report, Nature Scientific Data, Landscape Ecology, Biological Invasions, Forest Ecology and Management, PloS One, Ecosphere, Journal of Vegetation Science, Applied Vegetation Science, International Forestry Review, New Forests, Biogeoscience, Biotropica, Ecological Complexity, Journal of Environmental Management, Ambio, Environmental Management, Wetlands Ecology and Management, Wetlands, Journal of Coastal Research, Plant Ecology, Journal of Forestry Research, Aquaculture Research

Community Ecology| Functional ecology| Landscape ecology| Spatial ecology

The focus of my academic research lies at the interface of conservation biology and spatial ecology, with specific interests in: (1) understanding the effects of stressors such as habitat disturbance, forest conversion, climate change and biological invasion on species and functional diversity of ecological communities across spatial and temporal scales, (2) quantifying variations in ecological processes in spatially and temporally heterogeneous landscapes, (3) examining the effects of scale on ecosystem functions and services and (4) developing nature-based approaches to address socio-ecological challenges.

Another line of inquiry focuses on (i) spatial and temporal patterns of biological diversity and the underlying processes that generate these patterns, and (ii) scale dependency of ecological processes.

I'm interested in the integration of theoretical and empirical approaches to comprehensively address these questions. Depending on the research question, I combine approaches of field and laboratory experiments, surveys of natural populations and communities, and computer simulation. I also use a broad range of methods from spatial and multivariate statistics.

Academic Norms and Ethics

Acadmeic English in Ecology

Scientific Communications

Community Ecology

Functional Ecology

Our current research focus includes the following:

1. Effects of forest conversion on plant species and functional diversity across spatial scales

2. Effects of forest conversion on the spatial structures of biodiversity

3. Biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality relationship along a gradient of forest conversion intnesity

4. Importance of spatially structured biodiversity for ecosystem processes

5. Relationship between plant and insect diversity along a gradient of forest conversion intensity

6. Mangrove development and succession in coastal afforestation

Journal publications

In review:

Mangrove development and succession from its begining: lessons from coastal afforestation

Conservation value of small and isolated mangrove patches in the age of global change

Published/accepted:

33.   Biswas, S. R., Xiang, J. and Li, H. 2021. Disturbance Effects on Spatial Autocorrelation in Biodiversity: An Overview and a Call for Study. diversity13:167.

32.   Tong, X., Li, J.-H., Jiang, K., Li, Y.-Y., Liu, C.-N., Biswas, S., Wang, R. & Chen, X.-Y. (2021) Back to the brink: phylogeography and demographic history of the endangered Torreya jackii. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12728

31   Zheng, L.-T., Chen, H.Y.H., Biswas, S.R., Bao, D.-F., Fang, X.-C., Abdullah, M. & Yan, E.-R. (2021) Diversity and identity of economics traits determine the extent of tree mixture effects on ecosystem productivity. Journal of Ecology 109: 1898-1908.

30.   He, D., Biswas, S. R., Xu, M.-S., Yang, T.-H., You, W.-H. and Yan, E.-R. 2021. The importance of intraspecific trait variability in promoting functional niche dimensionality. Ecography 44:380-390

29.   Dong, H and Biswas, S.R. 2019. Negative relationship between interspecies spatial association and trait dissimilarity. Oikos 128(5): 659-667.

28.   Biswas, S.R., Mallik, A.U., Braithwaite, N.T. and Biswas, PL. 2019. Effects of disturbance type and microhabitat on species and functional diversity relationship in stream-bank plant communities. Forest Ecology and Management 432: 812-822.

27.   Xu, N-N, Jiang, K, Biswas, S.R., Tong, X, Wang, R. and Chen, X-Y. 2019. Clone configuration and spatial genetic structure of two Halophila ovalis populations with contrasting internode lengths. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolutiondoi: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00170

26.   Biswas, S.R., Biswas, P.L., Limon, S.H., Yan, E., Mingshan, X. and Khan, M.S.I. 2018 Plant invasion in mangrove forests worldwide. Forest Ecology and Management 429: 480-492.

25.   Chen, H.Y.H,Biswas, S. R.,Sobey, T.M, Brassard, B.W. and Bartels, S.F. 2018. Reclamation strategies for mined forest soils and overstory drive understory vegetation. Journal of Applied Ecology 55(2): 926-936.

24.  Biswas, S. R.,Vogt, R. J. and Sharma, S. 2017. Compositional shifts and loss of ecosystem services in freshwater fish communities under climate change scenarios. Hydrobiologia799: 135-149.

23.   Chen, H.Y.H., Luo, Y., Reich, P.B., Searle, E.B. and Biswas, S.R. 2016. Climate change associated trends in net biomass change are age-dependent in western boreal forests of Canada. Ecology Letters 19: 1150-1158.

22.   Biswas, S.R., MacDonald, R.L., and Chen, H.Y.H. 2016. Disturbance increases negative spatial autocorrelation in species diversity. Landscape Ecology 32(4): 823-834.

21.   Biswas, S. R., Mallik, A. U., Braithwaite, N. T. and Wagner, H. H. 2016. A conceptual framework for the spatial analysis of functional trait diversity. Oikos125: 192–200.

20.   Mallik. A. U, Biswas, S. R., and Siegwart-Collier, L. C. 2016. Belowground interactions between Kalmia angustifolia and Piceamariana: roles of competition, root exudates and ectomycorrhizal association. Plant and Soil 403: 471- 483.

19.   Biswas, S. R. and Wagner, H. H. 2015. Spatial structure in invasive Alliaria petiolata reflects restricted seed dispersal. Biological Invasions 17:3211–3223.

18.   Xiaoping Guo, X., Chen, H.Y.H., Meng, M., Biswas, S.R., Ye, L. and Zhang, J. 2016. Effects of land use change on the composition of soil microbial communities in a managed subtropical forest. Forest Ecology and Management 373: 93-99.

17.  Harper, K. A., Macdonald, S. E., Mayerhofer, M. S., Biswas, S. R., Esseen, P.-A., Hylander, K., Stewart, K. J., Mallik, A. U., Drapeau, P., Jonsson, B.-G., Lesieur, D., Kouki, J., Bergeron, Y. 2015. Edge influence on vegetation at natural and anthropogenic edges of boreal forests in Canada and Fennoscandia. Journal of Ecology 103: 550–562.

15.  Biswas, S.R., Kotanen, P.M., Kambo, D. and Wagner 2015. Context-dependent patterns, determinants and demographic consequences of herbivory in an invasive species. Biological Invasions17:165–178.

14.  Biswas, S. R. and Wagner, H. H. 2014. A temporal dimension to the stress gradient hypothesis for intraspecific interactions. Oikos 123: 1323–1330.

13. Biswas, S.R. and Wagner, H.H. 2012. Landscape contrast: a solution to hidden assumptions in the metacommunity concept? Landscape Ecology 27:621-631.

12.  Biswas, S.R., Mallik, A.U. and Khan M.S.I. 2012. Invaders control on post-disturbance succession in coastal mangroves. Journal of Plant Ecology 5(2): 157-166.

11.   Biswas, S.R. and Mallik, A.U. 2011. Species diversity and functional diversity relationship varies with disturbance intensity. Ecosphere2(4):art52. doi:10.1890/ES10-00206.

10.  Biswas, S.R. and Mallik, A.U. 2010. Disturbance effects on species diversity and functional diversity in riparian and upland plant communities. Ecology 91(1): 28-35.

9.     Biswas, S.R., Mallik, A.U., Choudhury, J.K. and Nishat, A. 2009. A unified framework for the restoration of Southeast Asian mangroves - bridging ecology, society and economics. Wetlands Ecology and Management 17: 365-383.

8.     Rashid, S.H., Biswas, S.R., Bocker, R. and Kruse, M. 2009. Mangrove community recovery potential after catastrophic disturbances in Bangladesh. Forest Ecology and Management 257: 923-930.

7.     Biswas, S.R. and Misbahuzzaman, K. 2008. Tree species diversity and regeneration traits of the dominant species in a dipterocarp forest in Bangladesh: implications for conservation. International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management 4(2):81-91.

6.     Biswas, S.R., Choudhury, J.K., Nishat, A. and Rahman, M. 2007. Do invasive plants threaten the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh? Forest Ecology and Management 245 (1/3): 1-9.

5.     Biswas, S.R. and Choudhury, J.K. 2007. Forest and Forestry in Bangladesh: the question of sustainability. International Forestry Review 9(2): 627-640.

4.     Biswas, S.R. 2007. Anthropogenic influences in the natural dipterocarp forests of Bangladesh. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences33(1): 41-52.

3.     Biswas, S.R. and Misbahuzzaman, K. 2006. Structural composition of trees based on diameter class distribution in a dipterocarp dominated natural forests of Bangladesh. Indian Forester132(9):1083-1089.

2.     Nishat, A. and Biswas, S.R. 2005. Community based restoration of degraded tropical hill forests: experiences from Krykhong para, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Bulletin of the National Institute of Ecology, India 16: 1-11.

1.     Khan, M.N.I., Biswas, S.R. and Hoque, A.K.F. 2000.Assessment of various pre-sowing treatments on germination of Teak seeds in Bangladesh. Khulna University Studies 2(1): 135-140.