Chris J Kettle
Tropical Forest Ecologist | Geneticist
I am an ecologist and geneticist, and specialise in tropical forest trees, their reproductive ecology and the importance of forest genetic resources for resilient landscapes.
Currently leading Bioversity International’s cross-cutting research team, I work on conservation and sustainable use of socio–economically and ecologically important trees and their genetic diversity. I am also Group Leader in Applied Molecular Ecology, in the Department of Environmental System Science, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.
I lead research programmes across Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa and the Safeguarding Forest Genetic Resources Cluster of CGIAR’s Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry.
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Research projects
Current research activities.
South East Asia
Dipterocarp forest of Borneo
Most of the forests of Borneo are lowland dipterocarp forest and we are looking at how these trees reproduce and move their pollen and seeds around. We work in two major forest reserves in Borneo, Kabili Sepilok Virgin Jungle Reserve and Danum Valley Conservation Area, both in Sabah. We also work on a range of the most threatened dipterocarps in Sabah in collaboration with colleagues at the Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forest Department.
Latin America
Supporting sustainable supply of Brazil nuts
Our research is aimed at gathering evidence to support sustainable supply chains of Brazil nuts from Peru to Switzerland. A joint project of ETH Zurich, CIFOR and Bioversity International, and is supported by the World Food System Center. We officially collaborate with the Peruvian organizations IIAP, UNAMAD and PROFONANPE.
Africa
Trees for Seeds
Using the right mix of native trees in forest restoration is essential. Obtaining seed from the appropriate sources of the right mixtures of tree species to achieve restoration objectives presents an enormous challenge. Seeds of most native tree species are currently not sufficiently available in nurseries.
To ensure resilience of restored ecosystems, planting material must be adapted to the restoration site and contain sufficient genetic diversity to adapt to future conditions.
Videos
Interview at the Global Landscapes Forum
Interview with Chris Kettle at the Global Landscapes Forum, Nairobi, Kenya, 2018.
Drone over Sepilok
Monitoring land use in the forests of Borneo.
The Brazil Nut Gatherers
How the harvesting of Brazil nuts offers improved livelihoods in the forests of Peru.
Positions
Visiting Professor
University of Malaysia, Sabah
2016/2017
PhD
University of Edinburgh, UK
2006
Publications
Selected list of recent publications.
2018
Selected publications
Fine-scale processes shape ecosystem service provision by an Amazonian hyperdominant tree species
E Thomas, R Atkinson, C Kettle
Scientific reports 8 (1), 11690
James R Smith, Jaboury Ghazoul, David FRP Burslem, Akira Itoh, Eyen Khoo, Soon Leong Lee, Colin R Maycock, Satoshi Nanami, Kevin Kit Siong Ng, Chris J Kettle
PloS one 13 (3), e0193501
2017
Selected publications
Tracing coco de mer's reproductive history: Pollen and nutrient limitations reduce fecundity Emma J Morgan, Christopher N Kaiser‐Bunbury, Peter J Edwards, Frauke Fleischer‐Dogley, Chris J Kettle. Ecology and evolution 7 (19), 7765-7776
Evaluating realized seed dispersal across fragmented tropical landscapes: a two‐fold approach using parentage analysis and the neighbourhood model Sascha A Ismail, Jaboury Ghazoul, Gudasalamani Ravikanth, Cheppudira G Kushalappa, Ramanan Uma Shaanker, Chris J Kettle. New Phytologist 214 (3), 1307-1316
Keeping it in the family: strong fine-scale genetic structure and inbreeding in Lodoicea maldivica, the largest-seeded plant in the world E. J. Morgan, C. N. Kaiser-Bunbury, P. J. Edwards, F. Fleischer-Dogley, C. J. Kettle. Conservation Genetics
2016
Selected publications
Genetic diversity affects seedling survival but not growth or seed germination in the Bornean endemic dipterocarp Parashorea tomentella Kirsty S Nutt, David FRP Burslem, Colin R Maycock, Jaboury Ghazoul, Eyen Khoo, Alexander YL Hastie, Chris J Kettle. Plant Ecology & Diversity 9 (5-6), 471-481
Understanding local patterns of genetic diversity in dipterocarps using a multi-site, multi-species approach: Implications for forest management and restoration. A Itoh, S Nanami, S Matsuyama, A Finger, SA Ismail, CJ Kettle. ETH Library, 19
Development of 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the endangered Seychelles palm Lodoicea maldivica (Arecaceae) Emma J Morgan, Kirsti Määttänen, Christopher N Kaiser‐Bunbury, Andres Buser, Frauke Fleischer‐Dogley, Chris J Kettle. Applications in plant sciences 4 (4), 1500119
Predicting the terminal velocity of dipterocarp fruit JR Smith, R Bagchi, CJ Kettle, C Maycock, E Khoo, J Ghazoul. Biotropica 48 (2), 154-158
2015
Selected publications
Understanding local patterns of genetic diversity in dipterocarps using a multi-site, multi-species approach: Implications for forest management and restoration C Tito de Morais, Jaboury Ghazoul, Colin R Maycock, Robert Bagchi, David FRP Burslem, Eyen Khoo, Akira Itoh, Satoshi Nanami, Shuhei Matsuyama, Aline Finger, Sascha A Ismail, Chris J Kettle. Forest ecology and management 356, 153-165
Predicting dispersal of auto‐gyrating fruit in tropical trees: a case study from the D ipterocarpaceae James R Smith, Robert Bagchi, Judith Ellens, Chris J Kettle, David FRP Burslem, Colin R Maycock, Eyen Khoo, Jaboury Ghazoul. Ecology and evolution 5 (9), 1794-1801
Impacts of an extreme precipitation event on dipterocarp mortality and habitat filtering in a Bornean tropical rain forest JA Margrove, DFRP Burslem, J Ghazoul, E Khoo, CJ Kettle, CR Maycock. Biotropica 47 (1), 66-76
2014
Selected publications
Fragmentation genetics in tropical ecosystems: from fragmentation genetics to fragmentation genomics
CJ Kettle. Conservation genetics 15 (6), 1265-1268
Genetic connectivity of the moth pollinated tree Glionnetia sericea in a highly fragmented habitat A Finger, CN Kaiser-Bunbury, CJ Kettle, T Valentin, J Ghazoul. PloS one 9 (10), e111111
Christopher J Kettle © 2018