Ecological Networks

 Research interests   

I am a Ph.D. researcher in Ecological Networks at Technische Universität Darmstadt and a member of the German–Ecuadorian REASSEMBLY collaboration working in the Ecuadorian Chocó. My research examines how ecological communities respond to disturbance and reorganize during forest recovery, with a focus on biodiversity, species interactions, and ecosystem function.

I study ecological reassembly across forest recovery gradients shaped by land-use change. Using dung beetle–mammal trophic networks as a model system, I investigate how disturbance alters interaction structure, functional processes, and indicators of habitat quality. Dung beetles are particularly informative because they are sensitive to environmental change and tightly linked to vertebrate communities, making them useful for assessing both biodiversity loss and ecosystem service recovery.

My work integrates:

• Disturbance ecology and recovery dynamics

• Quantitative ecological network analysis

• Statistical modeling and multivariate approaches (R, Python)

• Field-based biodiversity assessment across environmental gradients

• Functional indicators of ecosystem resilience (e.g., nutrient cycling, seed dispersal)

Rather than focusing solely on species presence or abundance, I analyze how interaction networks reorganize during regeneration and which structural features signal resilience or incomplete recovery. This systems-level perspective allows for evaluation of restoration trajectories and development of measurable indicators relevant to conservation planning and adaptive management.

Prior to my doctoral research, I worked in wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, and sustainable development in Peru. These experiences strengthened my ability to connect ecological theory with implementation challenges and real-world conservation contexts.

I am particularly interested in applying science to real world ecological obstacles.