This research was supported by grants from the International Foundation for Science, and
United Nations University, African Forest Research Network of the African Academy of
Science, British Ecological Society Overseas Bursary, Vavilov Frankel Fellowship, and
Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology program, Beatrice Krauss Fellowship, Dai
Ho Chun Award, Art and Science Advisory Council Awards at the University of Hawai‘i
at M!noa, East West Center. I am grateful to my advisor Tamara Ticktin who tirelessly
played a great coaching role in grant seeking, scientific writing and mentoring during the
course of this project. I would like to thank my committee members Tamara Ticktin,
Donald Drake, Nina Etkin, Andrew Taylor and Kim Bridges for their useful comments
and guidance which helped improve this dissertation. Lawren Sack provided very useful
comments and advices on leaf economics study. Mi yetti (Thank you) to the Fulani
participants; and I am grateful to Yacoubou Boni, Ulysse Korogone, Taiba Madougou,
Hugues Akpona, Aziz Guerra, Yarou Salomon, Honore Biaou, Armand Natta, Hermann
Ereeq, Aboubakar Bani Bio, Marcelin Agbessi, Kader Baba Cheick, Enoch Seko
N’Goye, Samba Tobou Adam and Rachidi Saliou for field assistance. I am thankful to R.
Schneider for assistance with foliar nutrient analyses, and Cliff Morden, Brice Sinsin,
Eric Menges, Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, Carl and Ann Weekley, Aime Bokonon-Ganta,
Mamoudou Setamou, Oscar Eyog Matig, Raymond Vodouhe, Enoch Achigan Dako,
Ismail Moumouni Moussa, Florent Okry, Shimona Quazi, Isabel Belloni Schmidt, Lisa
Mandle, Laura Weiss, Leyla Cabugos, Dana Crompton, and Aaron Shiels for support,
comments and discussion on this project. I am grateful to my family for their patience
and encouragement.