Curriculum Vitae Shem Kuyah
NAME
CURRENT POSITION Lecturer, Botany Department,
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
CONTACT DETAILS
PERSONAL DATA
P.O. Box 62000 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya
Email. kshem@fsc.jkuat.ac.ke
Tel. +254 721 590 198
Born 17 th January 1978 in Vihiga County, Kenya
Married, 1 child
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION
Ph.D.
Plant Science, JKUAT, Nairobi. 2010 - 12
MSc . Botany, JKUAT, Nairobi. 2005 - 08
BSc . Botany, JKUAT, Nairobi. 2001 - 05.
Soft skills
Modeling (use)
Statistical software
Image analysis tools
GIS (basics)
WaNuLCAS, SExI-FS, REDD ABACUS
Genstat, SPSS, R, Sigmaplot
Gap light analyzer, GIMP, Photoshop
Basic use of global positioning system (GPS) and Map source
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2010 - 2013

Greenhouse gas emission assessment in tropical agricultural ecosystems.

Development, calibration and validation of allometric equations for biomass estimation.

Fractal branching analysis - building allometric equations without destructive sampling.

Estimation of canopy attributes using hemispherical photography.

Optimization of natural resources inventory, monitoring and assessment.

Forest and agroforestry biomass modeling and estimation approaches.

Statistical research methods: biostatistics, experimental design, sampling techniques.
2006 - 2009

Tree water use - measurement and monitoring tree and soil volumetric water content.

Assessment of plant productivity - instrumentation of photosynthetic measurements.
PUBLICATIONS
Peer reviewed
1.
Kuyah S , Dietz J, Muthuri C, Noordwijk M, Neufeldt H. 2013 . Allometry and partitioning of above- and below-ground biomass in farmed eucalyptus species dominant in Western Kenyan agricultural landscapes. Biomass and Bioenergy. http://10.1016/j.biombioe.2013.02.011
.
2.
Kuyah S , Dietz J, Muthuri C, Jamnadass R, Mwangi P, Coe R and Neufeldt H. 2012 .
Allometric equations for estimating biomass in agricultural landscapes: I. Aboveground
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Curriculum Vitae Shem Kuyah biomass. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 158: 216-224.
3.
Kuyah S , Dietz J, Muthuri C, Jamnadass R, Mwangi P, Coe R and Neufeldt H. 2012 .
Allometric equations for estimating biomass in agricultural landscapes: II. Belowground biomass. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 158: 225-234.
4.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C, Jamnadass R, Mwangi P, Neufeldt H and Dietz J. 2012 . Crown area allometries for estimation of aboveground tree biomass in agricultural landscapes of Western
Kenya. Agroforestry Systems 86(2): 267-277.
5.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C and Ong C. 2009. Gas exchange responses of Eucalyptus , Cordia africana and Grevillea robusta to varying soil moisture content in semi-arid (Thika) Kenya. Agroforestry
Systems 75(3): 239-249.
6.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C and Ong C. 2009. Status of Eucalyptus in Meru Central, Kenya: A comparison between Cordia africana , Grevillea robusta and other trees commonly grown in the area. Journal of Agriculture Science and Technology 11(1): 31-48.
7.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C and Ong C. 2008. Growth and water use of eucalyptus hybrids, Cordia africana and Grevillea robusta in semi-arid (Thika) Kenya. East African Journal of Botany 1
(2): 95-114.
Publications under preparation
1.
Evaluating a non-destructive method for calibrating tree biomass equations derived from tree branching architecture. Trees - Structure and Function .
Book chapter
1.
Jamnadass R, Gebrekirstos A, Neufeldt H, Muthuri C, Dawson I, Kindt R, Nyberg Y, Dietz J,
Bayala J, Kuyah S , Ong C, Montes C, Weber J, Hairiah K and van Noordwijk M. 2011. Trees as providers of environmental services in multifunctional landscapes are vulnerable to climate change. In Van Noordwijk M, Hoang MH, Neufeldt H, Öborn I, Yatich T, eds. 2011. How trees and people can co-adapt to climate change: reducing vulnerability through multifunctional agroforestry landscapes. World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi. ISBN: 978-979-3198-56-9 .
Protocols
1.
Dietz J and Kuyah S.
2011. Guidelines for establishing regional allometric equations for biomass assessment through destructive sampling. http://www.goes.msu.edu/cbp/allometry.pdf
2.
MacFarlane DW and Kuyah S.
2012. Fractal branch analysis (FBA): a method for building local allometric equations without destructive sampling. http://www.goes.msu.edu/cbp/aboveground.html
.
Oral presentations
1.
Kuyah S , Dietz J, Muthuri C and Neufeldt H. 2012. Aboveground biomass equations for estimating carbon stocks in farmed eucalyptus trees in Western Kenya. International Conference on Sustainable
Forest Management - The 2 nd
Forest Science Forum . 13-16 October. Beijing University, Beijing,
China.
2.
Kuyah S , Dietz J, Muthuri C and Neufeldt H. 2012. Optimizing the measurement of landscape biomass carbon in agricultural landscape mosaics. Tropentag 2012. “Resilience of agricultural systems against crisis”. 19-21 September. Gottingen University, Gottingen, Germany.
3.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C, MacFarlane WD, Mulia R, van Noordwijk M, Mwangi P, Jamnadass R, and
Dietz J. 2012. Why do allometric biomass equations differ between tree species? Analysis based on fractal branching pattern. IUFRO-FORNESSA Regional Congress. “ Forests and trees serving the people of Africa and the world ”. 25-30 June, Nairobi, Kenya.
4.
MacFarlane D, Planck N, Kuyah S and Weiskettel A. 2012. Generalized, biologically-motivated biomass equations for nationally-consistent and locally-accurate forest carbon inventories across
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Curriculum Vitae Shem Kuyah diverse landscapes. IUFRO-FORNESSA Regional Congress. “ Forests and trees serving the people of Africa and the world ”. 25-30 June, Nairobi, Kenya.
5.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C, Jamnadass R, Mwangi P and Dietz J. 2011. Measuring belowground biomass carbon in agricultural landscapes: The significance of empirically validated allometries.
International conference on response of forests and adaptation management to climate change. 8-10
August. Chinese Academy of Forests, Yichun, China.
6.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C, Jamnadass R, Mwangi P and Dietz J. 2011. Crown area allometric equations for estimation of aboveground carbon stocks in agricultural ecosystems of Western Kenya.
International conference on tropical forest resources. 6-9 June, Masinde Muliro University of
Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya.
7.
Kuyah S and Dietz J. 2010. The Carbon Benefits Project (CBP): Modeling-Measurement-
Monitoring. Development of a web-based carbon assessment toolbox. ICRAF Science Forum.
8 September. Nairobi, Kenya.
8.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C, Jamnadass R, Mwangi P and Dietz J. 2010. Challenges and uncertainties of measuring carbon in agricultural landscape mosaics. 2010 JKUAT Scientific, Technological and
Industrialization Conference. 17-19 November. JKUAT, Nairobi, Kenya.
9.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C and Ong C. 2007. Comparative performance of Eucalyptus spp, Cordia africana and Grevillea robusta under varying soil moisture conditions. 2007 JKUAT Scientific,
Technological and Industrialization Conference. JKUAT, Nairobi, Kenya.
10.
Kuyah S , Njenga P and Kahia J. 2005. Micropropagation of Bambusa vulgaris in Kenya: Natures gift with myriad used. 2005 JKUAT Scientific Technological and Industrialization Conference. 25-
28 October. JKUAT, Nairobi, Kenya.
Poster presentations
1.
Dietz J and Kuyah S . 2011. Towards reducing emissions from all land uses: A robust equation for estimating total tree biomass in tropical agricultural landscapes mosaics. Tropentag 2011.
‘Development on the Margin’. 5-7 October. University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
2.
Kuyah S and Dietz J. 2010. How REDDy is African Agriculture? Supplying robust carbon estimates for agricultural landscape mosaics in Western Kenya. Tropentag 2010. World Food
System - A Contribution from Europe. 14-16 September. ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
3.
Kuyah S , Dietz J, Muthuri C Jamnadass R and Mwangi P. 2010. Tree biomass at hand: Biomass estimates for agricultural landscape mosaics - western Kenya. ICRAF Science Forum. 8
September. ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya.
4.
Kuyah S , Muthuri C and Ong C. 2009. Eucalyptus Impasse: growth, water use and relative occurrence. 2nd World Congress of Agroforestry. 24-28 August. ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya.
OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
‒ Peer reviewer for Agroforestry Systems and Environmental Conservation Journals
‒ Examination officer , Botany department, JKUAT. January 2013 to date
‒ Coordinator , Biotechnology Program, JKUAT. 2009 - 10
‒ Timetabling officer , Botany Department, JKUAT. 2008 - 09.
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Curriculum Vitae Shem Kuyah
SELECTED SHORT - TERM TRAINING

Short-term modelling experience. An in-depth understanding and use of the water, nutrient and light capture in agroforestry systems (WaNuLCAS), the spatially explicit individual-based forest simulator (SExI-FS), the abatement cost curves generator from an opportunity cost estimation analysis on reducing emission from deforestation, and degradation (REDD Abacus). 2-15 December
2012. World Agroforestry Centre, South East Asia, Bogor, Indonesia

Exploring tradeoffs around farming livelihoods and the environment - using farming systems modeling. 13-17 August 2012. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden.

Designing research projects in the field. Tropical Biology Association. 28 February - 2 March 2012.
Mt. Rock Bantu Lodge, Naro Moru, Nanyuki.

Scientific writing. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), East Africa write-shop. 11 - 13 April 2011.
Zanzibar.

Communicating and disseminating research results. Tropical Biology Association. 8 - 11 March
2011. Ruiru, Kenya.

Installation and monitoring of eddy covariance and miscellaneous atmospheric monitoring devices.
Mpala Research Institute/Princeton University, Nanyuki, Kenya.

Agro-biodiversity awareness, conservation and sustainable use for enhancement of food security.
Egerton and FAO - Netherlands Partnership Project. 19-23 May 2008. Egerton University, Njoro,
Kenya.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
African Forest Forum (AFF)
International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO).
REFEREES
Prof. Catherine Muthuri
Associate professor,
Jomo Kenyatta university if Agriculture and Technology
Email: c.muthuri@cgiar.org
Dr. Johannes Dietz
Climate Changes Scientist,
World Agroforestry Centre, Peru.
Email: j.dietz@cgiar.org
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