We like to call ourselves a group of free-thinking scientists seeking to produce and apply ecological knowledge to solve today’s natural resource problems. Although there is no limit to our interests, our research is strongly biased towards forested novel ecosystems and their interaction with abiotic, biotic and socio-economic components. One of our lab’s main goal is to understand the factors that shape the structure, function, and composition of novel forests, and to develop ways to apply this knowledge in agroforestry and silvicultural practices aimed at boosting the capacity of these forests to support ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, food and wood production, and biodiversity conservation.
Nosotros
Oscar J. Abelleira
I was born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The landscape I grew up in was dominated by sugar cane and cattle pastures, and as I grew up I could see that as these activities ceased, the abandoned lands began to grow into brush and, eventually, forests. I forgot all about it for most of my early adulthood until I began to combine my interests in nature, science and the outdoors into developing a professional career. That, and a brief stint as a research technician in El Yunque National Forest, got me into studying novel forest ecosystems. These days, much of my research focuses on (1) understanding forest community assembly mechanisms and links between species composition and ecosystem function in novel forests, (2) applying existing ecological knowledge and principles to develop agroforestry, restoration and silvicultural intervention practices suited to novel forests, and (3) exploring and developing management strategies aimed at restoring rare species and securing multiple ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, water resource protection, provision of food, wood and raw materials, in Puerto Rico’s novel forests. Stemming from my research interests, I like to engage myself in projects that make community ecology and ecosystem science applicable to land management, conservation policy and the development of social-ecological resilience in rural and urban communities.
Información de Contacto:
Ph. D. – University of Idaho & CATIE (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza)
Catedrático Auxiliar
Área de trabajo: Ecología de Bosques Tropicales, Silvicultura, Manejo de Recursos Naturales
Oficina: Colegio de Ciencias Agrícolas – UPRM
Edificio Piñero 215-A
787-832-4040 ext. 3734
email: oscarj.abelleira@upr.edu
María del Rocío Suárez Rozo
Has a degree in Resource Management and Forestry (1985) and a Master of Science in Silviculture (1989) both from State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY. She also has a Master Degree in Soils Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, at Mayaguez. She has over 15 years of experience in the field of environmental assessment and management plan design, implementation and supervision, particularly for Colombia’s infrastructure projects. For almost 12 years, she acted as the Head of the Environmental Studies Department at Consultoría Colombiana S.A., one of the leading engineer consulting firms in Colombia where she and her colleagues developed more than 20 Environmental Management Plans for projects in the energy, highway and oil sectors. At present, she works as a Research Associate at the College of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, where she has taught classes in Resource Management and Conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment and Biometrics.
Información de Contacto: