Research
Understanding how ecosystems respond to global human-induced changes is essential to provide the evidence-base that underpins conservation initiatives. My research aims to better understand how anthropogenic drivers of global change affect biodiversity and carbon dynamics. My past, current and future research integrates the following topics:
Changing fire regimes and forest degradation in tropical forests: Impacts on biodiversity and carbon dynamics
Tropical forests are under the threat of anthropogenic disturbances and a changing climate. Fires are a growing and concerning threat to humid forests such as the Brazilian Amazon. However, the effects of increasing fire frequency on tropical forest biodiversity remain mostly unknown. During my PhD, I surveyed dung beetles and other bioindicators to better understand the impacts of forests fires on tropical forest biodiversity and ecological functioning. As part of a research team in the project Biodiversity Implications of Forest Disturbance and Related Landscape Dynamics in the Brazilian Amazon, we sampled dung beetles, ants, birds and trees in burned forests of the Amazon biome. Our results helped elucidate how single and recurrent fires can have long-lasting detrimental effects on these habitats, with consequences ranging from local extinctions to impoverished processes such as nutrient cycling, seed dispersal and carbon intake.
Changing fire regimes and forest degradation in tropical forests: Impacts on biodiversity and carbon dynamics
Tropical forests are under the threat of anthropogenic disturbances and a changing climate. Fires are a growing and concerning threat to humid forests such as the Brazilian Amazon. However, the effects of increasing fire frequency on tropical forest biodiversity remain mostly unknown. During my PhD, I surveyed dung beetles and other bioindicators to better understand the impacts of forests fires on tropical forest biodiversity and ecological functioning. As part of a research team in the project Biodiversity Implications of Forest Disturbance and Related Landscape Dynamics in the Brazilian Amazon, we sampled dung beetles, ants, birds and trees in burned forests of the Amazon biome. Our results helped elucidate how single and recurrent fires can have long-lasting detrimental effects on these habitats, with consequences ranging from local extinctions to impoverished processes such as nutrient cycling, seed dispersal and carbon intake.
As a postdoctoral associate at University of Colorado - Boulder, I lead a team investigating the effects of an increasing fire frequency on communities of fruit-feeding butterflies. Our samples took place in the Southeastern Amazon, in a transitional forest between Amazon and Cerrado (savanna) biomes, in a pioneer experimental design of controlled burned plots. Our results show how changing fire regimes can have irreversible impacts on local species diversity in a context of savannization of transitional forests.
Still as a postdoctoral associate at University of Colorado – Boulder, I expanded my research to encompass other sources of forest degradation and their consequences on carbon dynamics, aiming to inform REDD+ policies on detecting, monitoring and addressing these issues. Human-caused disturbance to tropical forests - such as logging and fire - causes substantial losses of carbon stocks. In 2007, the Thirteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) explicitly made addressing forest degradation part of the proposed mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). Our review entitled A synthesis of tropical forest degradation scenarios and carbon emissions trajectories for REDD+, funded by SilvaCarbon and USFS, is published on the journal Carbon Balance and Management and shows longer-term effects of reduced-impact logging and fires on global carbon dynamics.
I am currently a collaborator in the Synergize project from the Sustainable Amazon Network (RAS), investigating broad-scale ecological responses to degradation in the Amazon, with researchers from more than 30 institutions worldwide.
Forest management and conservation planning in temperate forests
I have always been enthusiastic about applying the scientific knowledge on biodiversity in the decision-making of conservation and management policies. As a postdoctoral associate at both Sapienza Università di Roma in Italy and the IRSTEA Institute in France, I used my expertise in handling and analyzing large multi-taxon data sets to address how management and conservation practices in Europe affects biodiversity and carbon storage. Using information on forest structure and diversity of beetles, birds, bryophytes, fungi, lichens, and plants in managed forests in Italy, France and Hungary, our goal was to better understand patterns of biodiversity and carbon storage. Ultimately, our research informs public and private management and conservation initiatives.
I am currently a collaborator in the project Biodiversity of Temperate forest Taxa Orienting Management Sustainability by Unifying Perspectives funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology.
I am currently a collaborator in the Synergize project from the Sustainable Amazon Network (RAS), investigating broad-scale ecological responses to degradation in the Amazon, with researchers from more than 30 institutions worldwide.
Forest management and conservation planning in temperate forests
I have always been enthusiastic about applying the scientific knowledge on biodiversity in the decision-making of conservation and management policies. As a postdoctoral associate at both Sapienza Università di Roma in Italy and the IRSTEA Institute in France, I used my expertise in handling and analyzing large multi-taxon data sets to address how management and conservation practices in Europe affects biodiversity and carbon storage. Using information on forest structure and diversity of beetles, birds, bryophytes, fungi, lichens, and plants in managed forests in Italy, France and Hungary, our goal was to better understand patterns of biodiversity and carbon storage. Ultimately, our research informs public and private management and conservation initiatives.
I am currently a collaborator in the project Biodiversity of Temperate forest Taxa Orienting Management Sustainability by Unifying Perspectives funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology.
Impacts of invasive species on insect and plant communities in the United States
An excess of more than 450 invasive species of insects and pathogens threaten native trees in the conterminous United States. Among them, the emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is a jewel beetle (Buprestidae) from Asia that attacks and kills ash trees. It has become the most destructive and costly non-native insect in North America, killing millions of ash trees in cities and forests and threatening billions of trees still standing. In my current position at University of Maryland, I manage and analyze large databases on EAB biocontrol studies. Our research comprises the efficiency of released parasitoids and cost-effective insecticide application on mitiganting the spread and establishment of EAB in North America. We have our first paper published on the journal Pest Management Science. Our current studies combine continental-wide parasitoid release and establishment records, with USDA Forest Inventory data and local transects to try to predict the future of ah trees in North America.
Learn more bout my past and current research in the Publications page.