ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND PEOPLE
IN URBAN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
Piatã Marques, Dr.
A Black ecologist curious about how cities affect aquatic systems and the things that live in them.
WHY STUDYING URBAN AQUATIC SYSTEMS ?
We live in an increasingly urban world and ecologists are being called upon to provide thorough information on the effect of urbanization on ecosystems and species adaptation. At the same time, urban species interact with humans and provide ecosystem services.
My research goal is to advance our understanding of how urbanization changes the ecology and evolution of the biota in urban aquatic ecosystems and the consequences for the provisioning of ecosystem services to people.
English subtitles available
English subtitles available
WHAT I AM ABOUT ?
Here are my most recent research projects
Here are my most recent public presentations
USING A TRAIT-BASED FRAMEWORK TO STUDY URBAN STREAM BIOTA
January 10, 2019 - ongoing
Urban ecology has historically focused almost exclusively on describing species loss in cities. Such focus has restricted our understanding of the mechanisms through which the biota adapts to urbanization. In my research I assess how the physical characteristics (traits) of stream biota can change in response to urbanization to expose mechanisms of adaptation.
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECT OF URBANIZATION ON THE ECOLOGY OF AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES
July 10, 2020 - ongoing
In this project I use invaders such as the guppy fish, Poecilia reticulata, and the goldfish (Carassius auratus) which have invaded many urban and non-urban systems around the world. I look at how their characteristics such as number of offspring and nutrient storage differ between urban and non-urban populations to estimate the effect of urbanization. So far, I found that urbanization enhances characteristics that increase the potential of alien species to become invasive.
ASSESSING EVOLUTION IN URBAN AQUATIC SYSTEMS
November 10, 2020 - ongoing
How species evolve to live in cities is an outstanding, but unanswered, question in urban ecology. In this project I use laboratory experiments and field surveys to assess how heritable are the traits found between urban and non-urban populations of different fishes in Tropical and Temperate streams. I also explore whether urbanization force traits to converge to similar adaptive states.
MY PHILOSOPHY
Through many steps of my research I work closely with conservation agencies, managers, developers, and communities.
As a Black Latin scientist, I experience the struggles of minorities within and outside academia. I am strongly committed to raising awareness of such struggles to facilitate the inclusion of minoritized groups into academia.
I also lead the Odu initiative for supporting BIPOC students in STEM. Odu helps BIPOC students fighting systemic racism to persist and succeed in academia. Learn about the initiative here. Get in touch. You are not alone!
RESEARCH GROUNDED ON INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
I am fortunate to have ongoing collaborations with exceptional scientists around the world
Dr. Andrea Pilastro
Università degli Studi di Padova - Italy
