R. (Ricardo) Contreras Osorio

Research interests

PhD project: Hummingbirds in transition, effects of ecosystem displacement caused by climate change¹

My main interest is to understand how human activities impact bird communities, particularly under a landscape ecology approach. During my PhD, I assess how distribution of hummingbirds and their interacting plants could be modified by warmer climate. It is well known that pollinators play a key role in conserving ecosystemic interactions, however transformation of forests and habitat loss reduce the natural areas where birds and plants interact. I am studying how birds cope with landscape change using experimental gardens as a way to measure tolerance to perturbed areas. The ultimate goal of my study is to identify key conservation areas at a local level of montane cloud forest, and the hummingbirds living there.

¹ Double doctorate project at University of Groningen and  Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico