Welcome Carolina Bello – New SE

Submitted by editor on 18 November 2024.

We are happy to welcome Dr. Carolina Bello from ETH Zürich, Switzerland, to the Oikos Editorial Board. To know more about her, read our interview below!

Website: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carolina-Bello

 

What's your main research focus at the moment?

My current research focuses on how global change restructures species interactions and impacts ecosystem services and the economy. Primarily, I study frugivory interactions and their effects on the carbon cycle. For example, I have investigated how the loss of large frugivores in tropical forests alters plant-animal interactions, leading to changes in tree recruitment, forest composition, and ultimately, carbon storage as an ecosystem service. I am now expanding my research to explore how animals can contribute to mitigating environmental issues through forest restoration and carbon stock enhancement. Additionally, I am studying other interactions, such as scavenging, pollination, mammal-mycorrhizal dispersal, and mammal-vector-disease dynamics.

To address these questions, I integrate population and community ecology, biogeography, network ecology, functional ecology, movement ecology, and economic valuation of ecosystem services, drawing on field experiments, advanced technologies, and diverse analytical and modeling approaches. My work primarily focuses on the Neotropics, with a special emphasis on the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and the tropical forests of Panama

 

Can you describe your research career?

I began my career in Colombia, my home country, where I studied biology and ecology at the Pontificia Universidad Javerian. My first passion was primates, and I worked at a primate rehabilitation center in the Amazon, where I fell in love with both ecology and indigenous communities. Later, my focus shifted to plants, starting with my favorites, the passifloras, and expanding to other cherished groups like Espeletias and Magnolias. I thoroughly enjoyed my bachelor’s thesis, which examined the population ecology of the Inírida flower (the floral symbol of the recent COP16) and analyzed the potential distribution of Colombian páramos under climate change scenarios using species distribution models.

After completing my degree, I specialized in statistics at Universidad Nacional de Colombia to strengthen my research skills. Alongside my studies, I worked with NGOs and government institutions (Humbolt Research Institute), gaining valuable experience in ecology, environmental economics, payments for ecosystem services, and biogeography. I also started my own company focused on environmental education and ecotourism in Colombia. Seeking to deepen my expertise, I moved to Brazil to pursue a PhD at the Labic Lab at UNESP-Rio Claro, where I learned about frugivory interactions and defaunation processes. Since then, I have completed two postdoctoral positions in Switzerland—one at WSL, working on hummingbird pollination, and currently at ETH, investigating the contribution of animals to forest restoration.

How come that you became a scientist in ecology?

I’ve always loved being in nature and was drawn to science, but it was during my transition from school to university that this passion solidified. Volunteering in Colombia’s National Parks, I spent time on a Caribbean island and in the Amazon. These experiences helped me realize just how much I love being in nature, how excited I feel whenever I encounter an animal, and the thrill of understanding natural processes. I especially fell in love with primates—the woolly monkeys captured my heart, and Sara Bennett inspired in me a deep love for primates, science, and the spark of Amazonian children and their organic connection to nature. After these experiences, I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to exploring nature and understanding the beauty of its underlying processes.

 

What do you do when you're not working?

I love being outdoors and have been climbing for nearly half my life. Although I may not be the strongest climber, I deeply enjoy the rocks, crags, the feeling of moving vertically, and the breathtaking views from the mountains. While climbing has been a constant, I also enjoy other activities that connect me with nature. I’m always eager to learn new things, and I recently started surfing, sailing, diving, skiing, and practicing aerial silks. Yet, even a simple run in the forest or a swim in the lake fills my heart and fuels my passion for life. But my passions aren’t only outdoors—I also love reading, especially magical realism and historical novels. Most importantly, I treasure time with the people I love, creating memories, sharing good times and that my body hurts from dancing and laughing, But, above all, give lots of hugs.

 

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