Postdoctoral Fellow
ISCED - Huíla
Angola 

Dr. Francisco Maiato Pedro Gonçalves is a researcher associated with the Herbarium of Lubango, ISCED – Huíla. I obtained my PhD degree at the University of Hamburg in Germany, under TFO – The Future Okavango Project and SASSCAL. My research interests include among others Plant Ecology, here looking at the recovering process and vegetation dynamics of the woodland following human disturbance. Under climapAfrica, beyond the assessment and characterization of tree mortality in Bicuar National Park, I want to correlate tree ring-growth of certain trees with climatic data and its implication in the management of woodlands in Angola, particularly in this conservation area.

Climate change expertise and interests

Woodlands dynamics, Woodland management, Climate adaptation  

Publications (most recent)

Godlee, J.L., Maiato Gonçalves, F., Chisingui, A.V., Tchamba, J.J., Muledi, J.I., Shutcha, M.N., Ryan, C.M., Brade, T.K. & Dexter, K.G. (2020). Diversity and structure of arid woodland is southwest Angola, with comparison to the wider miombo ecoregion. Diversity - Special Issue (Biodiversity of Vegetation and Flora in Tropical Africa.

Gomes, A.L., Revermann, R, Gonçalves, F.M.P., Lages, F., Aidar, M.P.M., Finckh, M., Jürgens, N. (2019). Tree or not a tree: Differences in plant functional traits among geoxyles and closely related tree species. South African Journal of Botany 127:176-184.

Gonçalves, F.M.P., Revermann, R., Gomes, A.L., Aidar, M.P.M., Finckh, M. & Jürgens, N. (2017). Tree species diversity and composition of miombo woodlands in south-central Angola: A chronosequence of forest recovery after shifting cultivation. International Journal of Forestry Research.

Professional career interests

I have other professional research interest, understand the dynamic of miombo and other woodlands due to anthropogenic activities, and implications for woodland management under present and future climate conditions is the main goal.

I participate at climapAfrica because...

Because this gives me a unique opportunity to continue work in my research topic, as an early-career researcher. This programme constitutes also an incredible opportunity to expand collaboration among other researchers in Africa and strengthen collaboration with research institutions and universities in Europe, particularly in Germany where the initiative comes from.