Students
Letícia Gonçalves Ribeiro
Biologist and Master in Soil Sciences from Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras - MG. I am doctoral student in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity at Unesp of Rio Claro.
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In my undergraduate and master, I studied the relationship between invertebrate community aspects, such as diversity and composition, with soil chemical, physical and biological properties.
In my thesis project, I study the impact of mammals on soil properties and try to understand the role of these organisms on nutrient dynamics and carbon pools in tropical forests. The project is developed in areas of the DEFAU-BIOTA project in the Atlantic Forest with a long-term exclusion of large mammals experiment.
Mateus Melo Dias
I am Biologist and Master in Applied Ecology from the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA/MG). I am currently a PhD student in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity at the UNESP of Rio Claro/SP.
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During my Master's degree, I worked on mitigating human-wildlife conflict by investigating the habitat use of a large carnivore in the Tropical Andes in partnership with the Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú. I have also worked on ecology and conservation projects for frugivorous rodents, biological invasions, road ecology, and threatened animals for environmental consultancies and NGOs in Brazil.
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In my PhD thesis, I am trying to understand the trade-off between top-down and bottom-up effects on large mammalian herbivores and the ecosystem role of apex predators in the defaunation process and trophic cascades in the Neotropics.
Patricia Ferreira
​Ecologist. I am master student in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity by Unesp of Rio Claro.
In my undergraduate, during my cientific iniciation studied the frugivory, seed dispersal and life area of Jacutingas reintroduced in the Atlantic Forest.
Currently, in my project I work with the effects of fragmentation on morphological and evolutionary patterns of understory birds, where seek understand as antropic actions affect size of birds and their ability adapt to changes on environment.
Rafaela Forti
Biologist from Fundação Hermínio Ometto (FHO), Araras - SP.
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In my undergraduate, I studied the frugivory and manipulation of fruits of one native and an exotic palm by birds in the State Forest Edmundo Navarro de Andrade (FEENA).
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I recently started a project about defaunation's effects on plants' functional traits in the Atlantic forest, which is part of project DEFAU-BIOTA, funded by FAPESP.
Maria Eduarda Veloso
Biologist (UNESP). I am master student in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity by UNESP of Rio Claro.
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In my undergraduate, during my cientific iniciation studied the Neotropical herbivore's diet and the ecological influence of tapir (Tapirus terrestris) in the germination and recruitment of Psidium myrtoides.
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Currently, in my project, I am working on the influence and effectiveness of tapir in the germination and recruitment process in the Atlantic Forest.
Yan Bellintani Hunger
Biologist degree from the Hermínio Ometto Foundation (FHO) in Araras (Brazil), and right now, I am a master's student in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity at Unesp of Rio Claro.
During my undergraduate has participated in projects related to medicinal plants, studies related to Tapir (Brazilian tapir) with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and also project Eco-mudas focused on ecology and permaculture, where later I acted as coordinator.
Currently (2023), using the experiment DEFAU-BIOTA, which twelve years evaluate the impact of the loss of larger mammals, my project master's prevent understand the effect direct and indirect of defaunation in the biological diversity of invertebrates species of simulated form and discover if these effects can to change the structure trophic of invertebrate.
Victor Casagrande Souza
Bachelor in International Relations from the University of São Paulo (USP). I am an undergraduate student in Ecology at São Paulo State University (UNESP).
Interested in the Anthropocene and public policies.
Currently researching marine defaunation in my Scientific Initiation.
Beatriz Maria Paccas Saraiva
I am an undergraduate student in Ecology at São Paulo State University (UNESP) studying the last year, and I am a computer technician.
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I gained knowledge with rodents because I have worked how monitor in discipline of Animal Physiology II.
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Currently, I started a Scientific Initiation. My project seeks to quantify the magnitude of defaunation in the Anthropocene, with a focus on songbird trafficking, in addition to showing which birds are most captured for trafficking in Brazil, what is the conservation status of each species and what are the biodiversity hotspots of these birds female singers in the country.
Ana Laura Castoldi Vieira
I am undergraduate student in Biology from São Paulo State University (UNESP).
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Currently, in my Scientific Initiation I analyze the biodiversity contained in indigenous lands of the Brazilian Legal Amazon and try to describe the species according to the different biological groups. I also intend to assess the potential impacts of mining on this biodiversity.
Rodrigo Cippolline Valim
I am undergraduate student in Ecology.
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I work with tree communities, botanical identification and environmental consulting.
Currently at LaBiC I help graduate students. I am also developing an conservation project for native and traceable plant germplasm for environmental education and future reintroductions, if necessary.