Dr. Priya Davidar

Pollination biology and ecosystem services
The role of animal vectors in pollinating plants is important for the reproduction of wild and crop plants. My doctoral thesis was on the pollination of the hemi-parasitic mistletoes by nectar feeding birds. I further studied pollination systems in different ecosystems. My current interest lies in the area of the ecosystem services rendered by pollinators to crop plants and wild plants.
Factors influencing the large scale patterns of species distributions
Large scale patterns of species distributions provide insights into ecological processes. Our research on different faunal groups in the Andaman archipelago show that island size and habitat characteristics are important determinants of species diversity and distribution. In the wet evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, rainfall seasonality is the most important factor regulating tree distribution, diversity and rarity. 
Human impact on forests
Understanding the socio-economic aspects of human dependence on forest products and the consequent impact on forests is important for developing management plans to arrest deforestation. My students and I have been looking at various aspects of resource use  and forest degradation in different regions of the Indian peninsula.