Dr Saroj K Barik

Prof. SK Barik is the Director of CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow. Previously, he was the Professor and Head, Department of Botany, Centre for Advanced Studies in Botany, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong

Prof. Barik is well known for his research in forest ecology. His works on impact of anthropogenic disturbances on plant species diversity and ecosystem functioning have been widely recognized. He established that gap size mediated micro-environmental heterogeneity plays an important role in segregation of forest species into different guilds during gap phase regeneration in subtropical forest. Thus, explained the high species diversity in subtropical forests on the basis of niche segregation. He developed and demonstrated a workable protocol for categorization of threatened species based on numeric population data. Using Ecological niche models, Population Viability Analysis models and multivariate statistical models, Prof. Barik’s group has been successful in predicting the range and impact of climate change on several forest species. His group has been active in diverse areas of plant science research such as plant diversity including its inventory, bio-prospection and conservation, ecological modelling, population and molecular ecology, chemical ecology, carbon sequestration and impact of climate change on species and ecosystems.

Prof. Barik has published 75 research papers, 10 books and 40 technical and research reports. Many of his research papers are cited world-wide. Fourteen students have been awarded Ph.D. degree under his supervision. He is also a member of editorial board of Tropical Ecology and Journal of Biodiversity. He is the Chairperson/Member of several national expert committees/task forces constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Planning Commission, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.