David M. Lapola — Principal Investigator
Researcher for the Center for Meteorological and Climatic Research Applied to Agriculture (CEPAGRI) of the Campinas University (UNICAMP). Ecologist graduated from the São Paulo State University (UNESP) – Rio Claro, with a Masters in Meteorology from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and a PhD in Earth System Modelling from the Max Planck Institute/Kassel University, Germany. Conducts research in Global Change Ecology.
Eráclito R. Sousa Neto — Executive manager of LabTerra and AmazonFACE
Biologist with more than 20 years of experience in studies on carbon and nitrogen dynamics (biogeochemical cycles) in natural and agricultural environments. Extensive experience in field experiments and analysis on issues related to climate and environmental changes.
I have extensive practical experience in experiments on biogenic gas fluxes at the atmosphere/biosphere interface, landscape and land use change, and soil and atmosphere biogeochemical processes. I worked on research projects in the Amazon (Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere in the Amazon – LBA), Atlantic Forest (Biota-FAPESP) and Caatinga.
Currently, I am Executive Manager of the AmazonFACE Program at the Center for Meteorological and Climate Research Applied to Agriculture – CEPAGRI/UNICAMP.
Carolina Blanco — Post-Doctoral Researcher
I’m biologist, PhD in Ecology and interested in functional ecology and ecosystem modelling. As a postdoctoral researcher at LabTerra I’m working in a project linked to the AmazonFACE program, that aims to assess the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations on the functional diversity of the Amazon forest by comparing different trait-based dynamic vegetation models.
Maíra C. G. Padgurschi — Post-Doctoral Researcher
I am biologist seeking to bridge academic knowledge closer to actions that can benefit society and, therefore, I am interested in biodiversity and its connection with human well-being (through ecosystem services). I worked with environmental education in protected areas, with endangered species, as well as traditional human populations (namely caiçaras) and organic farming. In my postgraduate studies at the University of Campinas/Unicamp (2008-2014), I focused on theoretical aspects of plant ecology working with native taquaras (Brazilian bamboos), a non-timber forest product used by local people for basketry, ornaments, etc. I am currently postdoctoral research scientist at LabTerra in the context of the AmazonFACE program where I work with ecosystem services and multilateral environmental agreements seeking to understand how nature could help human populations adapt to climate change.
Fábio Arnaldo Pomar Avalos — Post-doctoral researcher
Graduated in Geographic Engineering from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), Bolivia. Master’s and PhD in Soil Science from the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) in the area of Environmental Resources and Land Use, with emphasis on soil and water conservation. He has experience in the areas of digital land mapping, remote sensing and geostatistics, with a focus on land use and land cover mapping and soil attributes. Is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the project “Spatially-explicit modeling of the contributions of pasture restoration to carbon sequestration and ecosystem services provision in Brazil”.
Bárbara Cardeli — PhD Student
Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Faculty of Biological Sciences of the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (PUC-Campinas) and Master in Ecology and Biodiversity from the Graduate Program of the Universidade Estadual Paulista “Julio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP) on the campus of Rio Claro . She is currently a PhD student in Ecology at Unicamp, where is developing a project that seeks to understand the influence of climate change associated with the increase in atmospheric CO2, changes in precipitation and temperature regime, in the functional diversity of the Amazon Forest, also taking into account the assurance of services ecosystem services provided by the forest.
João Victor Martinelli – PhD Student
He is a doctoral student in Environment and Society at Unicamp, where he researches the relationship between green infrastructure and adaptation to climate change on a local scale, through ecosystem services. In the master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, at the State University of West Paraná, he specialized in agroforestry systems in Brazil, and in the graduation in Biological Sciences (Bachelor), at the Federal University of Paraná, he researched conflicts related to the use of pesticides on the border between the perimeter urban and the rural. Has experience in interdisciplinary approaches involving the relationship between society and the environment, and is interested in researches on global environmental changes and Earth system sciences, especially from the perspective of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Marcela Gutierrez Pereira — Master Student
Graduated in Biological Sciences from Universidade Estadual Paulista. She is currently a master’s student and seeks to understand how functional diversity modulates the functioning of tropical forests with the project “The role of functional diversity in modulating the functioning of a tropical forest in the central Amazon”, supervised by researcher David M. Lapola and co-supervised by Dr. Bianca Rius.
Gabriel Guariglia Perez – Technician (DTI-B)
I am a visiting researcher at Unicamp and I am part of the CiAdapta2 project as a technical fellow (DTI-B). My current research is on the use of afforestation for cooling large cities in the context of climate change. I have a degree in Environmental Management and Analysis and a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, both from UFSCar. Other topics that interest me include landscape ecology, remote sensing, water resources and research programming.
Ex-students
Dr. João P. Darela Filho – Graduated in Ecology from Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) and PhD in Ecology and Biodiversity from the same institution.
MSc. Gabriela Sophia – Graduated in Biological Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (PUC-Campinas) and Master in Ecology and Biodiversity from the Paulista State University “Julio de Mesquita Filho” (UNESP) on the Rio Claro campus.
Isabelle Sousa – Undergraduate student in Systems Analysis and Development at the Faculty of Technology of Campinas (FATEC), she helped LabTerra in the development of CAETÊ and other project activities.
Dr. Bianca Rius – Graduated in Biological Sciences from the São Paulo State University (UNESP) and PhD in Ecology from the State University of Campinas (Currículo Lattes)
Dr. Moara Canova – Graduated in Ecology from the São Paulo State University (UNESP) and holds a PhD in Environment and Society from the Center for Environmental Studies and Research (NEPAM) at the University of Campinas. (Currículo Lattes)
MSc. Beatriz de Oliveira Tristão – Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (PUC-Campias) and Master in Ecology from the State University of Campinas(Currículo Lattes)
MSc. Ana Luisa de Carvalho Cruz – Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (PUC-Campinas) and Master in Ecology from the State University of Campinas(Currículo Lattes)
MSc. Bruna Roberta Soica – Graduated in Biological Sciences from the State University of Paraná (UNESPAR) and Master in Ecology from the State University of Campinas (Currículo Lattes)
MSc. Gabriel Banstarck Marandola – Graduated in Biological Sciences and Master in Ecology from the State University of Campinas (Currículo Lattes)