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I have always been intrigued by introduced species. What is really an invasive species? What is the difference between an introduced and an invasive species? Weren't all species once introduced to their, now, native habitat? Like Jorge Drexler would say:
I have always been intrigued by introduced species. What is really an invasive species? What is the difference between an introduced and an invasive species? Weren't all species once introduced to their, now, native habitat? Like Jorge Drexler would say:
Yo no soy de aquí
Pero tú tampoco
De ningún lado del todo y
De todos lados un poco
Lo mismo con las canciones, los pájaros, los alfabetos
Si quieres que algo se muera, déjalo quieto
Let's take a look at my projects...
Let's take a look at my projects...
She took over the gardens!
She took over the gardens!
Anolis sagrei may be small, but it is bold. This introduced lizard has made itself right at home in the gardens and parks of Guayaquil and Samborondón, munching on ants and lounging on tree trunks like it owns the place. I studied what it eats, where it spends its time, and how it might actually help control pest insects. Turns out, even introduced species can surprise us!
Here, I collaborated with two amazing researchers from Ecuador, Natalia and Andrea. We worked on this project right after I finished my undergraduate degree in Biology. They showed me how far science can go when we bring together different backgrounds, strengths, and personalities with curiosity and teamwork.
Eat and be eaten.
Eat and be eaten.
Frogs in the Galapagos! What? Can you repeat that?
Photo: F. Bungartz, CDF.
This was my first-ever independent study!
I was so nervous to even start setting up a project. I was only 24 at the time, and thanks to my amazing mentors (José, Heinke, Raffael, and Rafael), I was able to publish it. This was the first real step that led me toward starting my PhD.
We studied the only frog species in the Galápagos (an introduced one) and found that it is both predator and prey. It feasts on insects, while its tadpoles are hunted by a native beetle. But the beetles can’t keep up, so the frogs are thriving. As farms and ponds expand, so might this unexpected little introduced froggie!
Advancing conservation through science, curiosity, and action
Contact me: mariadelmarmorettaurdiales [@] gmail [.] com
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