Category: Announcements

The initial results are in and the most abundant tree in the botanical plots from the 2024 field season is a tie between Astrocaryum mexicanum and Pouteria sapota – both totalling 209 stems above 5 cm dbh (diameter at breast height). Meanwhile, the species with the highest total basal area was Dialum guianense.

Astrocaryum mexicanum (pictured) is a palm with spines that have pricked more than a few tropical researchers. The palm heart can be eaten, but its uses are not as well-documented as the other two species that came out on top. Pouteria sapota, also known as mamey, has large, nutrient-rich fruits. They are a well-known food source in these tropical forests. Dialum guinanense, commonly known as ironwood, also has edible fruits, but it is best known for its dense wood that has been used for construction since prehistoric times.

Dr. Joseph Hirst is joining the Bladen Legacy team as a palaeoecology postdoc based in Exeter. Joe earned his PhD from the School of Archaeology, Geography, and Environmental Science at the University of Reading. Joe specializes in pollen analysis and agent-based modelling, and will be applying these techniques to the Bladen project.

Read more about Joe in his profile.

We are hiring two postdoctoral research associates to join the Bladen Legacy team. One of the University of Exeter-based postdocs will lead palaeoecological analysis and interpretation, particularly for pollen and charcoal. The other will lead the palaeobotany analysis and interpretation, especially for phytoliths. These positions will work together and with the broader team towards understanding vegetation change and plant use through time in the Bladen Project area.

Find more information and apply by 6 January 2025 here for the palaeoecology post and here for the palaeobotany post.

Sara Eshleman successfully earned her PhD. Her dissertation, “Sensing Human Legacies in the Tropical Forests of Northern Central America,” focuses on using lidar imagery to correlate Maya infrastructure to modern forest structure in northwestern Belize. Her degree is conferred from the University of Texas at Austin Department of Geography and the Environment. She has already joined Bladen Legacy as a Postdoctoral Research Associate for remote sensing and ecological modelling.