Dr. Orou Gaoué is a plant population ecologist with a strong interest in conservation and natural resource management. His research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of human activities on plants and forest ecosystems, particularly those affiliated with the traditions and cultures of indigenous people. He is highly knowledgeable and well-published on African Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) and is active in the conservation of endangered tree species, demonstrated by his conservation project on Voacanga Africana through the Rufford Small Grants Foundation. Originally from Benin, Orou has studied and worked for many years in the United States, including in Hawaii, Florida and Tennessee.

Orou’s fellowship with Bioversity focused on the effects of local harvesting practices on African Mahogany (Khaya spp.) in Benin, West Africa. The population fitness of tree species often relies on a certain level of genetic diversity and resilience to change. However, adaptation to human activities such as bark and foliage harvesting, has been proven to cause significant consequences on reproductive performance and overall population health. Orou’s research focused on investigating whether such activities could also cause a loss of genetic diversity in populations due to inbreeding or other genetic alterations. Working with the Brazil Institute of Amazon Research (INPA) which has conducted similar research on Amazonian mahogany, Orou adopted their methodology on 12 wild populations of Khaya senegalensis in West Africa, but found it difficult to measure any genetic diversity loss. More detailed findings of his research can be found in the American Journal of Botany.

Orou is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) at the University of Tennessee.