Research output per year
Research output per year
Overview
Profile summary
I am a Associate Professor in Conservation Biology, originally from Costa Rica, but having spent 10 years in Australia before moving to the UK.
My research addresses the ecological and evolutionary consequences of emerging infectious diseases and climate change on biodiversity loss. A lot of my work has focused on the importance of environmental conditions in the frequency and likelihood of frog disease outbreaks, and the impacts on populations across different environmental gradients. Interestingly and significantly, this work has uncovered a pattern of dry forests as environmental refugia from disease driven amphibian extinctions, which is consistent across continents; in Costa Rica and tropical Australia. These refugia allow for powerful comparison to be made with non-refugial areas (rainforest), in which recovery is starting to build up, but the mechanisms by which this occurs can be elucidated.
BUT, I'm generally interested in all aspects of conservation biology, ecology and evolution, especially in tropical ecosystems.
My research addresses the ecological and evolutionary consequences of emerging infectious diseases and climate change on biodiversity loss. A lot of my work has focused on the importance of environmental conditions in the frequency and likelihood of frog disease outbreaks, and the impacts on populations across different environmental gradients. Interestingly and significantly, this work has uncovered a pattern of dry forests as environmental refugia from disease driven amphibian extinctions, which is consistent across continents; in Costa Rica and tropical Australia. These refugia allow for powerful comparison to be made with non-refugial areas (rainforest), in which recovery is starting to build up, but the mechanisms by which this occurs can be elucidated.
BUT, I'm generally interested in all aspects of conservation biology, ecology and evolution, especially in tropical ecosystems.
Roles on external bodies
Supervised research degrees
PhD (co-supervisor):Katrin Schmidt (2011-2016 ), ‘The ecological role of tadpoles in rainforest streams’, James Cook University
PhD (co-supervisor):Sofia Rodriguez (2012-2018), ‘Effects of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on the behavior and development of Túngara frogs’, The University of Texas at Austin.
PhD (principal supervisor):Felicity Wynne (2013-2019), ‘Disease ecology of emerging pathogens of amphibians and reptiles in Costa Rica’, University of Plymouth
PhD (principal supervisor):Luke Sutton (2017-2020), ‘Distribution Ecology of the Harpy Eagle: Spatial patterns and processes to direct conservation planning’, University of Plymouth
PhD (co-supervisor):Sofia Rodriguez (2012-2018), ‘Effects of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on the behavior and development of Túngara frogs’, The University of Texas at Austin.
PhD (principal supervisor):Felicity Wynne (2013-2019), ‘Disease ecology of emerging pathogens of amphibians and reptiles in Costa Rica’, University of Plymouth
PhD (principal supervisor):Luke Sutton (2017-2020), ‘Distribution Ecology of the Harpy Eagle: Spatial patterns and processes to direct conservation planning’, University of Plymouth
Teaching interests
I am the current program lead to the Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology program
I lead the following modules:
- MBIO 217 Ecology of shallow waters
- BIOL308 Applied Conservation Biology
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Decoding Anotylus (Thomson 1859) Beetle Diversity: DNA and External Morphology Match in Área de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Underwood, K. D., Puschendorf, R., Bilton, D. T., Janzen, D. H., Hallwachs, W. & Smith, M. A., 25 Jul 2024, In: Diversity. 16, 8, 441.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Downloads (Pure) -
Amphibian diversity across three adjacent ecosystems in Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Edwards, A. W., Harrison, X. A., Smith, M. A., Chavarria, M., Sasa, M., Janzen, D. H., Hallwachs, W., Chaves, G., Fernandez, R., Palmer, C., Wilson, C., North, A. & Puschendorf, R., 27 Nov 2023, In: PeerJ – the Journal of Life & Environmental Sciences. 0, 0Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile16 Downloads (Pure) -
An extended mtDNA phylogeography for the alpine newt illuminates the provenance of introduced populations
Robbemont, J., van, V. S., Steven, J. R. A., Ambu, J., Boyle, R., Canestrelli, D., Cvijanović, M., Dufresnes, C., Ennis, C., Gandola, R., Jablonski, D., Julian, A., Kranželić, D., Lukanov, S., Martínez-Solano, I., Montgomery, R., Naumov, B., O’Neill, M., Alexandra, N. & Pabijan, M. & 19 others, , 1 Aug 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Amphibia-Reptilia. 0, 0Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile33 Downloads (Pure) -
DISTRIBUTION RANGE EXTENSION OF Ecnomiohyla sukia (HYLIDAE) IN GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA.
van, N. M., Quesada, F., Puschendorf, R., Varela-Soto, D., Campobasso, M., Aspinall, V. & Abarca, J. G., 28 Jun 2023, In: Revista Latinoamérica de Herpetologia. 6, 2Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile14 Downloads (Pure) -
Drivers of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection load, with evidence of infection tolerance in adult male toads (Bufo spinosus)
Bosch, J., Thumsová, B., Puschendorf, R. & Bielby, J., 5 May 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Oecologia. 0, 0Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure)