I am Thomas L.P. Couvreur (HDR, DR2), researcher and botanist at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD). My main interest lies in understanding the evolution, resilience and diversity of tropical biodiversity, and rain forests in particular, one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems on the planet. Rain forests are important global climate regulators and provide subsidence such as food and shelter to millions of people across the tropics. I undertake research in taxonomy, conservation, molecular phylogenetics and phylogeography using DNA sequence data, morphological evolution, and modelling of species distribution at different time intervals. I also undertake research on economically important species (socio economic studies and documentaries). I focus on two wonderful tropical rain forest plant families palms and the Soursop family Annonaceae. My research has an impact in tropical biodiversity conservation and provides fundamental data towards assessing the influence of ongoing climate change on tropical rain forest biodiversity.