The Stability of Rainforest Margins in Indonesia (STORMA)

The multidisciplinary Indonesian-German research programme "Stability of Rainforest Margins in Indonesia" (STORMA) focuses on integrated concepts of sustainable land use stabilizing rainforest margins, which has been identified as a critical factor in the protection of tropical forests.

Empirical research is inside and outside the Lore Lindu National Park, located on the Indonesian island Sulawesi, which is a global biodiversity hotspot of the Wallacea region. Partners are the Bogor Agricultural University (Bogor, Java), the Tadulako University (Palu, Sulawesi), Georg-August-University Goettingen and the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI).

Ecological and socio-economic STORMA research addresses major global change phenomena that affect tropical forest margins, including effects of agricultural intensification and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) droughts.

Recent example of research results include:
Steffan-Dewenter, I., M. Kessler, J. Barkmann, M. Bos, D. Buchori, S. Erasmi, H. Faust, G. Gerold, K. Glenk, S.R. Gradstein, E. Guhardja, M. Harteveld, D. Hertel, P. Höhn, M. Kappas, S. Köhler, C. Leuschner, M. Maertens, R. Marggraf, S. Migge-Kleian, J. Mogea, R. Pitopang, M. Schaefer, S. Schwarze, S.G. Sporn, A. Steingrebe, S.S. Tjitrosoedirdjo, S. Tjitrosoemito, A. Twele, R. Weber, L. Woltmann, M. Zeller & T. Tscharntke (2007).
Tradeoffs between income, biodiversity, and ecosystem function during rainforest conversion and agroforestry intensification.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA /104: 4973-4978

Tscharntke T, Leuschner C, Zeller M, Guhardja E, Bidin A. (eds) (2007):
The stability of tropical rainforest margins, linking ecological, economic and social constraints of land use and conservation.
Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp 513.

Tscharntke T, Leuschner C, Veldkamp E, Faust H, Guhardja E, Bidin A. (eds) (2010):
Tropical Rainforests and Agroforests under Global Change: Ecological and Socio-economic Valuations.
Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp 532.