Faculty Profile

Dr. Swapan Kumar Sarker

Professor

Contact Information

  • Office Address: Department of Forestry & Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh
  • Phone: +8801791069892
  • Email: swapan-fes@sust.edu, swapan_sust@yahoo.com

Biography

Dr. Swapan Kumar Sarker is a Professor of Forestry in the Shahjalal University of Science & Technology (SUST). He received academic trainings from SUST (B.Sc. in Forestry), Monash University, Australia (M.Sc. in Environment & Sustainability), and University of Glasgow, UK (Ph.D. in Environmental & Evolutionary Biology). Swapan Sarker’s research focuses on four domains of sustainability at landscape to global scales: Domain 1- collection and development of baseline ecological database and methodological framework to reinforce robust ecological studies and science-based management decision making in data-poor vulnerable ecosystems of the world, especially Mangroves; Domain 2- use of multiple ecological approaches (population, community, spatial and trait-based ecological approaches) to study mangrove ecosystem health and affects from disturbance (climate, land use, human pressures, invasive species, toxins and noise); Domain 3- development of ecological models to predict changes in habitat conditions, species distribution, biodiversity and ecosystem productivity under increasing human pressures and changing climatic and local environmental conditions; and Domain 4- development of natural resource management and conservation plans by integrating ecological, social and institutional analysis. He collects forest data and builds ecological models to support informed decision making in Forestry. He has vast experience of research collaboration with tropical forest scientists’ network, Bangladesh Forest Department, World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Department for International Development (DFID, UK), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Natural Environment Research Council, UK (NERC), and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), etc. His current research focuses on building baseline ecological information for Mangrove, Hill and Deciduous forests in Bangladesh and other tropical countries to reinforce science-based forest management and conservation across the world.

Education

  • PhD in Environmental & Evolutionary Biology, University of Glasgow, UK [Topic: Spatial & temporal patterns of mangrove abundance, diversity & functions in the Sundarbans]
  • Master of Environment and Sustainability, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • B.Sc. Honors in Forestry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh

Research Interests

  • Tropical Ecology, Mangrove Ecology, Forest Management, Ecological Modeling, Conservation Biology, Spatial Ecology, Functional Biogeography, Natural Resource Management

Active Research Project

  • 1. Understanding Forest Structural and Functional Complexity in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. Period: 2023-2025
  • 2. Disentangling riparian vegetation distribution in the Sundarbans. Period: 2024-2025.
  • 3. Assessment of Aquatic Resources of the Sundarbans. Period: 2023-2025.
  • 4. Developing Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP) of the Sundarbans: 2025-2035
  • 5. Generation of the Land Cover and Natural Capital Map and Developing Integrated Collaborative Forest Management Plans for Bangladesh

Previous Research Project

  • 1. 2021-2024: Developing Habitat-based Forest Tree Species Distribution and Diversity Models to Support Sylhet Hill Forests Conservation. Bangladesh Forest Department. Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
  • 2. 2019-2024:Biodiversity model building for the Sundarbans Mangrove Ecosystem. NASA A.7 Biodiversity project. Role: Field Biologist.
  • 3. 2022-2025: Identifying Climate Resilient Tree Species for Sustainable Wetland Restoration in the Northeastern Region of Bangladesh (LS20211714). Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information & Statistics (BANBEIS), Ministry of Education. Role: Co-PI.
  • 4. 2023-2023: Poison fishing in the Sundarbans: Identifying the types, spatial distribution, drivers, and impacts on livelihood and fish health. USAID. Role: PI
  • 5. 2021-2022: Identifying spatio-temporal patterns and drivers of Top-dying disease outbreaks in the Sundarbans mangrove forest. SUST Research Centre. Role: Principal Investigator
  • 6. 2020-2022: Disentangling Natural Regeneration Dynamics in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. SUST Research Centre. Role: PI
  • 7. 2018-2020: Integrating Ecological Models and Conservation Planning Frameworks for Sustainable Protected Area Management in Bangladesh. SUST Research Centre. Role: PI.
  • 8. 2018-2020: Effect of Phenolic allelochemicals released by Eucalyptus camaldulensis on the growth, nodulation and macromolecule content of five agricultural legume crops. Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh. Role: Co-PI
  • 9. 2018-2019: Sundarbans fisheries: a model system for the application of landscape ecology and social science approaches to management, NERC (Environment Research Council), UK. NE/S008233/1. Role: Field Biologist.
  • 10. 2017-2018: Forecasting mangrove distributions in the Sundarbans under climate change: Implications for conservation. SUST Research Centre. Role: PI
  • 11. 2013-2017: Disentangling spatial and temporal patterns of mangrove abundance, diversity and functions in the Sundarbans. DFID & Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK.
  • 12. 2010-2012: Developing allometric models for estimating above ground biomass of wetland tree species in the north-eastern Bangladesh. SUST Research Centre. Role: PI
  • 13. 2011-2012: Assessing the Diversity of National Red Listed Vascular Plants and Hotspots Identification at Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh. The Rufford Foundation, UK. Role: Co-PI
  • 14. 2011-2012: Distribution of Endangered Dipterocarpus turbinatus in Bangladesh. MBZ Species Conservation Fund, United Arab Emirates. Role: Co-PI

External Affiliations

  • Journal Referee: • Biotropica, Biodiversity Conservation, Ecological Applications, Ecological Indicators, Forests, GIScience & Remote Sensing, ICES Journal of Marine Science, International Forestry Review, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Regional Studies in Marine Science, Natural Resources Forum, Scientific Reports, Sustainability. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, Global Ecology and Conservation, International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, Pedosphere, Land Degradation & Development, Forestry Research
  • Members: British Ecological Society (BES), Institution of Foresters Bangladesh (IFB)
  • Expert Member: Bangladesh Forests Information System, Bangladesh Forest Department

Journal Publications

  • 1. Ahmed, S., Sarker, S.K., Kamruzzaman, M. et al. (2025). Soil nutrients and leaf area index interact with species and structural diversity to buffer mangrove productivity against salinity. Soil Ecology Letter. 7, 250299 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-025-0299-x [Publisher: Springer, Impact Factor: 4.5]. (2025)
  • 2. Chowdhury, M.Q., Sarker, S.K., Imam, I.M., Datta, A., Syeda, A., Zubayer, A., and Beeckman, H., (2025). Divergence of vessel diameters explains inter-specific variation in hydraulic safety to salinity in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. Functional Ecology. 00:1–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14751 [IF: 5.7, Publisher: British Ecological Society, Wiley] (2025)
  • 3. Pijanowski, B.C., Fuenzalida, F.R., Banerjee, S., Sarker, S.K...et. al., (2024). Soundscape Analytics: A New Frontier of Knowledge Discovery in Soundscape Data. Current Landscape Ecology Reports 9, 88–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40823-024-00101-9 [IF: 1.6, Publisher: Springer]. (2024)
  • 4. Chowdhury, M.Q., Sarker, S.K., Hossain, S., Imran, M.I.H., Datta, A., (2024). Salinity regulates radial growth of Cynometra ramiflora L. in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. Dendrochronologia 88:126270. [IF: 2.7, Publisher: Elsevier]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2024.126270 (2024)
  • 5. Tasnim, N., Hossain, M.D., Fayeem, H. A. M., Mostofa, Z.B., Anika, TT., Mahzabin, M., Modabber, A., Zaddary, A.M., and Gupta, A.D., and Marma, M., Imran, MIH., Khan, MMH., and Datta, A., and Khatun, R., Shamim, A., and Sarker, S.K.*, (2024). Towards Data-Driven Tropical Forest Restoration: Uncovering Spatial Variation, Interactions and Historical Management Effects on Nutrients Along Soil Depth Gradients. Science of The Total Environment 954:176756 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176756 [IF: 8.6, Publisher: Elsevier]. (2024)
  • 6. Slik, J.W.F., Pinho, B.X., Griffith, D.M., Webb, E., …Sarker, S.K…..et al. (2024). Wind dispersed tree species have greater maximum height. Global Ecology and Biogeography. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13878 [IF: 7.7, Publisher: Wiley]. (2024)
  • 7. 8. Ahmed, S, Sarker, S.K., et al. (2023). How biotic, abiotic, and functional variables drive belowground soil carbon stocks along stress gradient in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest? Journal of Environmental Management 337:117772. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117772 [ IF: 8.91, Publisher: Elsevier]. (2023)
  • 8. Ahmed, S, Sarker, S.K., et al. (2023). Mangrove tree growth is size-dependent across a large-scale salinity gradient. Forest Ecology and Management 537:120954. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120954 [IF: 3.9, Publisher: Elsevier]. (2023)
  • 9. Ahmed, S, Sarker, S.K., et al. (2023). How biotic, abiotic, and functional variables drive belowground soil carbon stocks along stress gradient in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest? Journal of Environmental Management 337:117772. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117772 [ IF: 8.91, Publisher: Elsevier]. (2023)
  • 10. Chowdhury, M.Q., Sarker, S.K., Gupta, A.D., Datta, A., (2023). Radial growth in mangrove Xylocarpus granatum J. Koenig is driven by salinity in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Dendrochronologia. 79, 126082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2023.126082. [IF: 2.7, Publisher: Elsevier]. (2023)
  • 11. Chowdhury, M.Q., Sarker, S.K., Sultana, R, Datta, A, Saimun, M.S.R., & Rashid, M.A.ZM., 2023. Synergistic effects of climate and salinity on radial growth of Excoecaria agallocha L. in the Sundarbans world heritage mangrove ecosystem. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. [Impact factor: 3.23, Publisher: Elsevier] (2023)
  • 12. Ahmed, S, Sarker, S.K., et al. 2022. Salinity reduces site quality and mangrove forest functions. From monitoring to understanding. Science of The Total Environment. 853. [Impact factor: 10.75, Publisher: Elsevier] (2022)
  • 13. 29. Sultana, F., Sarker, S.K., (2021). Sacred places and spiritual beliefs can enhance biodiversity conservation: A case study from the north-eastern Bangladesh. SUST J Sci TECH, Vol 32(1), 24-42. (2022)
  • 14. Sarker, S.K, Richard Reeve, and Jason Matthiopoulos. 2021. Solving the Fourth‐corner Problem: Forecasting Ecosystem Primary Production from Spatial Multispecies Trait‐based Models. Ecological Monographs 91(3): ecm.1454. [Impact factor: 9.81, Publisher: Ecological Society of America & Wiley] (2021)
  • 15. Are Diamond's assembly rules applicable to tropical threatened vascular plants assemblages in the Tarap Hill Reserve in Bangladesh? (2020)
  • 16. Sharmin, M., and S. K. Sarker. 2020. Are Diamond’s assembly rules applicable to tropical threatened vascular plants assemblages in the Tarap Hill Reserve in Bangladesh? SUST Journal of Science & Technology (SUSTJST) 30:49–58. (2020)
  • 17. Muscarella, Robert, Thaise Emilio,..... Ferry Slik,,....Sarker, S.K…. et al. 2020. “The Global Abundance of Tree Palms.” Edited by Melodie McGeoch. Global Ecology and Biogeography 29 (9): 1495–1514. [Impact factor: 6.91, Publisher: Wiley] (2020)
  • 18. Sarker S. K., Reeve R, Paul NK, Matthiopoulos J. 2019, Modelling spatial biodiversity in the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem—The Bangladesh Sundarbans: A baseline for conservation. Diversity & Distributions. 00:1–14. [Impact factor: 5.14, Publisher: Wiley] (2019)
  • 19. Sarker S. K., Matthiopoulos J, ………. Reeve R. 2019, 1980s–2010s: The world's largest mangrove ecosystem is becoming homogeneous. Biological Conservation. 236, 79-91, [Impact factor: 7.5, Publisher: Elsevier] (2019)
  • 20. Slik, J.W.F. ……Sarker, S. K……et al., 2018. Phylogenetic classification of the world’s tropical forests. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA [Impact factor: 12.78, Publisher: United States National Academy of Sciences] (2018)
  • 21. Sarker, S. K., Reeve, R., Thompson, J, Paul, N.K., & Matthiopoulos, J., 2016. Are we failing to protect threatened mangroves in the Sundarbans world heritage ecosystem? Scientific Reports, 6, 21234; [Impact factor: 5.0, Publisher: Nature Publishing Group] (2016)
  • 22. Rahman, H.M.T., Hickey, G.M. & Sarker, S.K., 2015. Examining the role of social capital in community collective action for sustainable wetland fisheries in Bangladesh. Wetlands, 35, pp.487–499. [Impact factor: 2.07, Publisher: Springer] (2015)
  • 23. Sarker, S.K. et al., 2015. Tree assemblages and diversity patterns in Tropical Juri Forest, Bangladesh. Journal of Forestry Research, 26(1), pp.159–169. [Impact factor: 2.15, Publisher: Springer] (2015)
  • 24. Slik, J.W.F. ……Sarker, S.K……et al., 2015. An estimate of the number of tropical tree species. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA 112(24), pp.7472–7477. [Impact factor: 12.78, Publisher: United States National Academy of Sciences] (2015)
  • 25. Sarker, S.K. et al., 2014. Environmental correlates of vegetation distribution in tropical Juri forest, Bangladesh. Tropical Ecology, 55(2), pp.177–193. [Impact factor: 1.57, Publisher: International Society for Tropical Ecology] (2014)
  • 26. Rahman, H.M.T., Sarker, S.K., Hickey, G.M., Haque, M.M., Das, N., 2014. Informal Institutional Responses to Government Interventions: Lessons from Madhupur National Park, Bangladesh. Environmental Management, 54(5), pp.1175–1189. [Impact factor: 3.64, Publisher: Springer] (2014)
  • 27. Chowdhury, M.Q., Sarker, S. K., Deb, J.C. & Sonet, S.S., 2013. Timber species grouping in Bangladesh: linking wood properties. Wood Science and Technology, 47(4), pp.797–813. [Impact factor: 2.89, Publisher: Springer] (2013)
  • 28. Sarker, S. K. et al., 2013. Disentangling the role of soil in structuring tropical tree communities at Tarap Hill Reserve of Bangladesh. Ecological Research, 28(4), pp.553–565. [Impact factor: 2.05, Publisher: Wiley] (2013)
  • 29. Rahman, H.M.T., Hickey, G.M. & Sarker, S.K., 2012. A framework for evaluating collective action and informal institutional dynamics under a resource management policy of decentralization. Ecological Economics, 83(October 2015), pp.32–41. [Impact factor: 6.54, Publisher: Elsevier] (2012)
  • 30. Sarker, S. K., Das, N., Chowdhury, M. Q., Haque, M.M., 2013. Developing allometric equations for estimating leaf area and leaf biomass of Artocarpus chaplasha in Raghunandan Hill Reserve, Bangladesh. Southern Forests: A Journal of Forest Science, 75(1), pp.51–57. [Impact factor: 0.89, Publisher: Taylor & Francis] (2012)
  • 31. M. Abdul Halim, M. S. H. Chowdhury, A. I. Wadud, M. S. Uddin, Sarker, S. K. and M. B. Uddin, 2007, The use of plants in traditional health care practice of the shaiji community in Southwestern Bangladesh, Journal of Tropical Forest Science, Vol. 19, No. 3 (July 2007), pp. 168-175. [Impact factor: 1.04, Publisher: Forest Research Institute Malaysia] (2011)
  • 32. Alam, M. & Sarker, S.K., 2011. Homestead Agroforestry in Bangladesh: Dynamics of Stand Structure and Biodiversity. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 30(6), pp.584–599. [Impact factor: 1.5, Publisher: Taylor & Francis] (2011)
  • 33. Sarker, S.K., Deb, J.C. & Halim, M. a., 2011. A diagnosis of existing logging bans in Bangladesh. International Forestry Review, 13(4), pp.461–475. [Impact factor: 1.84, Publisher: Commonwealth forestry Association] (2011)
  • 34. Alam, M. … Sarker, S. K. et al., 2008. Sustainability of Sal (Shorea robusta) forest in Bangladesh: past, present and future actions. International Forestry Review, 10(1), pp.29–37. [Impact factor: 1.84, Publisher: Commonwealth forestry Association] (2008)
  • 35. Dhar, R.; Sarker, S.K. (2021). Environmental Correlates of Vegetation Distribution in Rajkandi Hill Reserve of Bangladesh. Biol. Life Sci. Forum 1, x. https://doi.org/10.3390/xxxxx
  • 36. Chowdhury, M.Q., Sarker, S.K., Marma, M., Rahman, M.S., Datta, A., (2024). Climate and salinity together control above ground carbon accumulation in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. Ocean & Coastal Management. Volume: 255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107242 [Impact Factor-5years - IF: 4.2, Publisher: Elsevier].
  • 37. Radial growth in mangrove Xylocarpus granatum J. Koenig is driven by salinity in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Dendrochronologia. 79, 126082.

Book/ Book Chapter

  • 1. Sarker S.K. (2025). Forestry Handbook: Raghunandan Hill Reserve and Satchari National Park ‒ Baseline ecological information for guiding forest management, biodiversity conservation and restoration. Bangladesh Forest Department. Dhaka. Bangladesh.
  • 2. Sarker S.K. (2025). Forestry Handbook: Tarap Hill Reserve and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary ‒ Baseline ecological information for guiding forest management, biodiversity conservation and restoration. Bangladesh Forest Department. Dhaka. Bangladesh.
  • 3. Sarker S.K., Ahsan, M., Rasid, AZM, Hossain, ANM, Rahman, T., (2024), Tiger Conservation Governance in the Bangladesh Sundarbans: Identifying the Inter-Institutional Gaps. In Rahman et al, eds. Institutional Diversity and Sustainable Environmental Management: Scalar, Cultural, and Functional Perspectives. CRC Press. New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003042914

Teaching

  • BSc. level: Forest Management, Biostatistics, Mangrove Forestry, Forest Ecology, Research Methodology
  • MSc level: Forest Resource Management, Sustainable Development

Awards & Recognition

  • Commonwealth Doctoral Scholarship funded by Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, United Kingdom (2013 - 2017)
  • Prime Minister (Bangladesh) Gold Medal Award (2006)
  • Chancellors (President) Award (2006)
  • Vice Chancellors Award (2006)

Graduate Supervision

  • 1. BSc Research Project students supervised: 50
  • 2. MSc Research Project students supervised: 20
  • 3. MSc Thesis students supervised: 40