AmazonFlux: disentangling biodiversity-ecosystem function relationship through an energy flux perspective

Ana Carolina Antunes

  • Start  Tuesday 12 Mar 2024 5:00pm
  • Finish    Tuesday 12 Mar 2024 6:00pm
  • Venue  School of Geography and the Envionment - Atmosphere room

Human-made disturbances have triggered multiple changes in biodiversity, with unexpected consequences for ecosystem functioning. Yet, we still miss a mechanistic comprehension of the relationship between biodiversity change and ecosystem function. Considering that species’ response to disturbances will depend on, or are mediated by, their interaction with other species, this information gap might lead to erroneous projections of how human-induced changes impact biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. By merging biodiversity models and energy flux approach we can integrate biotic and abiotic factors into assessing ecosystem functions at macroecological scales. After a collaborative work to compile an extensive biodiversity dataset of camera trap information for the Amazon forest (Amazonia Camtrap), I aim to disentangle the impact of different forest disturbances on bird and mammal communities and use an energy flux approach to investigate how these disturbances and changes in biodiversity affect ecosystem functions.

Biography

I am a Brazilian ecologist working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Synthesis Centre for Biodiversity Sciences (sDiv), iDiv. My current research focuses on understanding how forest disturbances, associated with biodiversity changes, affect ecosystem functions in animal communities across the Amazon forest.

Prior to joining sDiv, I completed my PhD in 2023 in the Theory in Biodiversity group at iDiv where I proposed a framework based on ecological energetics to link biodiversity-ecosystem functions and nature’s contributions to people across macroecological scales, while accounting for ecological interactions between species. In 2016, I obtained my MSc from the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) in Manaus, Brazil, where I specialized in ecology and started my passion for the Amazon forest.

The Biodiversity Network is interested in promoting a wide variety of views and opinions on nature recovery from researchers and practitioners.

The views, opinions and positions expressed within this lecture are those of the author alone, they do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Biodiversity Network, or its researchers.

Tweet link opens new window Tweet

View all events