Publications by authors named "Stefano S Avilla"

Article Synopsis
  • Tropical biodiversity is facing significant changes due to intensified hydrological cycles, resulting in more severe droughts and wet seasons, which raises concerns about the resilience of ecosystems.
  • A 20-year study in Central Amazonia assessed the impacts of these climate changes on bird, fish, ant, and palm communities, revealing distinct responses where animals were more affected by sudden climate extremes, while palm species showed more stability over time.
  • The research indicated that while the 'insurance effect' helped moderate long-term impacts of climate events on biodiversity, the anticipated 'environmental refugia' did not effectively protect species during extreme weather conditions, highlighting the complex resilience of ecosystems amidst climate change.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The lack of synthesized information regarding biodiversity is a major problem among researchers, leading to a pervasive cycle where ecologists make field campaigns to collect information that already exists and yet has not been made available for a broader audience. This problem leads to long-lasting effects in public policies such as spending money multiple times to conduct similar studies in the same area. We aim to identify this knowledge gap by synthesizing information available regarding two Brazilian long-term biodiversity programs and the metadata generated by them.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Environmental change through habitat fragmentation and urbanization drives biodiversity loss in the Neotropics at an alarming rate. Some individuals and species confined to habitat fragments may develop phenotypic adjustments that allow populations to persist, even in landscapes made harsh by human activities. Behavioral and morphological adjustments may enhance a population's ability to cope with anthropogenic hazards.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF