Dr. Daniele Cicuzza

daniele.cicuzza@ubd.edu.bn



          

EDUCATION

2006-2011 PhD, Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zürich, Switzerland; Title: Diversity and assemblage composition of terrestrial herbaceous plants in tropical forest and agroforest. Supervisor Dr Michael Kessler. PhD started at the Department of Systematic Botany, University of Göttingen, Germany (2006-2008). Fieldwork in Indonesia (18 months).

2003 University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Italy; degree in Biology, “Global warming” and variation of wood plant biodiversity in t

FUTURE PROJECTS

Plant conservation in human influenced landscape of Brunei Darussalam

The Anthropocene has been proposed as a new geological period characterized by the impact of human society on native ecosystems. In an epoch characterized by rapid depletion of resources, large scale deforestation, rapid urbanization, extinction of species and aggravated climate change, agroforestry systems, small forest patches and homegardens are recognized as key factors within the landscape matrix, for conservation of biodiversity at the local level. Proponents of the emerging field of Biocultural Diversity also point out to the parallelism existing between biological, cultural and linguistic diversities, and the possibility of co-evolution and interdependencies between these entities that were hitherto considered independent of each other. In this context, the proposed project aims to study the plant diversity in the human modified landscape of Brunei Darussalam, including how the local community has contributed to plant conservation, and the economic, social and cultural importance of native plant species. We will assess: 1) the plant species diversity, 2) the contribution of the local community in conservation of native species and the economic and biocultural importance of these species. UBD students of Bruneian Nationality will participate in the research; final outputs would include scientific papers, conference presentations and distribution maps of endangered plant species in Brunei. The results will be an important tool for policy makers, researchers and local communities looking forward for the dual cause of conserving both biological and cultural diversities.


Applications Invited

Revision of Osmundaceae fern family

Osmindaceae is one of the most archaic fern family, within the Flora Malasyana project I am conducting a taxonomic revision of this family for the Malesian Region. Up to now we know approximately 17 species in this area. The project is expected to be published in 2019.


Applications Invited
1562

Google Scholar Citations

17

Google Scholar h-index

24

Google Scholar i10-index

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

• Thonhofer J., Getto D., van Straaten O., Cicuzza D., Kessler M. (2015) Influence of spatial and environmental variables on rattan palm (Arecaceae) assemblage composition in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Plant Ecology 216: 55-66.
• Cicuzza, D. De Nicola, C. Testi, A. Pignatti, S. Zanella A. (2015) Which are the contribution of the carbon sequestration of the forest ecosystems in the Castel Porziano Reserve? Evidences from an integrated study on humus and vegetation. Rendiconti Fis. Acc. Lincei 26 (3) 403-411.
• Cicuzza, D. (2014) A rediscovery of Alfred Russel Wallace’s fern collection from Borneo ot the Cambridge University Herbarium. Notes Rec. 68: 403-412.
• Jones MM, Cicuzza D, van Straaten O, Veldkamp E, and Kessler M. (2014) Determinants of fern and angiosperm herb community structure in lower montane rainforest in Indonesia. Journal of Vegetation Science 25: 1216–1224
• Cicuzza, D., Thorsten, K., Poulsen, A.D., Delhotal, T., Abrahamczyk, S., Piedra, H.M. & Kessler, M. (2013) A transcontinental comparison of the diversity and composition of tropical forest understorey herbs. Biodiversity and Conservation, Vol.22,(3): 755-772.

GRANT DETAILS

• 2017 UBD-CRG Plant conservation in human influenced landscape of Brunei Darussalam
• 2014 Chinese Academy of Science (China National Post Doctoral Fund)
• 2013 Chinese Academy of Science (Post doc Project, XTBG)
• 2012 Accademia Nazionale Lincei, Royal Society (Natural History Museum).
• 2007: European Project Synthesys: (National Herbarium Leiden).
• 2006: British Ecological Society (TBA course, Tanzania, Amani National Park).
• 2004: University of Rome, (Bournemouth University).