Bruna Lab Alumni

Postdoctoral Scholars

  • Eric Scott: Lagged effects of climate and habitat fragmentation on H. acuminata demography.

  • Maria Rosa Darrigo: Science Without Borders Postdoctoral Fellow, Variation in avian dispersal ability and H. acuminata demography.

  • Paul Gagnon: The cumulative effects of chronically reduced plant growth in forest fragments.

  • Heather Passmore: Effect of forest fragmentation on the structure of Amazonian ant-plant mutualist networks.

  • Thiago Izzo: Population dynamics of ant-plant mutualist systems.

Students

  • Thomas Smith, Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, 2023.
    Matrix effects on movement and population dynamics in experimentally fragmented systems. Co-advised with Dr. Robert Fletcher.

  • Fabiane Mundim, Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, 2016.
    Above- and below-ground plant-herbivore interactions in Brazil’s Cerrado and how they are influenced by climate change.

  • Ernane Vieira-Neto, Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, 2016.
    The influence of the expansion of road networks in Brazil’s Cerrado on the demography and spread of leaf-cutter ants.

  • Elan Simon Parsons, MA in Latin American Studies, 2018.
    Prevalence and functional form of edge-effects in fragmented landscapes.

  • Ana Cecilia Silva, M.A. Student in Latin American Studies, 2015.
    How Brazilian’s attitudes regarding extensive executive power influence support for affirmative action.

  • Paulo Rubim, Ph.D., Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2013
    Factors influencing Heliconia acuminata distribution and reproduction at multiple spatial scales. Co-advised with Dr. Dalva Mattos.

  • Cris Follman Jurinitz, Ph.D. in Ecology, Universidade de São Paulo, 2012
    Tree demography in primary and regenerating Atlantic rain forests. Co-advised with Dr. Alexandre Oliveira.

  • Christine Lucas, Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, 2010. Influence of flooding and disturbance from cattle ranching on the regeneration of Varzea forests in the Brazilian Amazon.

  • Stella Copeland, M.S. in WEC, 2009.
    Effect of nitrogen enrichment and simulated changes in precipitation on two Cerrado grasses.

  • Gwen Iacona, M.S. in WEC, 2008.
    Seedling establishment along productivity gradients in Longleaf Pine savannas. Co-advised with Dr. Kay Kirkman, Jones Ecological Research Center.

  • Pedro Braunger, M.S. in Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
    Effect of roads on the diversity of Cerrado plant communities.

  • Alana Vaz Ferreira, M.S. in Biology, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, 2007
    Seed predation by ants, birds, and rodents in Brazil’s Cerrado.

  • Ian Fiske, M.S. in WEC, 2006
    Sampling in plant demographic studies and the implications for matrix model projections.

  • Matthew Trager, M.S. in SNRE, 2006
    The effects of nutrient manipulation on ant-plant mutualisms.

  • Maria Beatriz Nogueira Ribeiro, M.S. in Ecology, Universidade de São Paulo, 2005
    Plant regeneration in Amazonian secondary forests.

Visiting Graduate Students

  • Alan Nilo da Costa, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
  • Carolina Ferreira Gomes, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
  • Diego Resende, Universidade Estadual de Londrina
  • Yves Rafael Bovolenta, Universidade Estadual de Londrina
  • Rodolfo de Abreu, USP-ESALQ
  • Simone Athayde, Instituto Socioambiental
  • Rita Quitete Portela, UNICAMP
  • Camilla Castanho, Universidade de São Paulo

Sabbatical Visitors

  • Karine Carvalho, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia
  • Ariadna V. F. Lopes, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
  • Alexandre Oliveira, Universidade de São Paulo
  • Laury Cullen, Instituto de Pesquisas Ecologicas (IPÊ)

Technicians and Post-Graduate Researchers

  • Laura Vivian Barbosa: Laura was responsible for coordinating field work in the Cerrado. She went on to earn a PhD from the Universidade Federal de Uberlandia.

  • Paulo Rubim: Paulo was responsible for coordinating field work at the BDFFP. He went on to earn a PhD from the Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos.

  • Sylvia Heredia: Sylvia was responsible for coordinating field work on ant-plant mutualisms at the BDFFP. She went on to earn a PhD from the Universidade of California, Riverside.

  • Maria Rosa Darrigo: Rosinha was responsible for coordinating field work at the BDFFP. She went on to earn a PhD from the University of Campinas.

  • Simone Benedet Fontoura: Simone was responsible for coordinating field work at the BDFFP. She went on to earn a PhD from the Universidade Federal de Lavras

  • Polyanna Custodio Duarte: Polyanna was responsible for coordinating field work in the Cerrado. She was a graduate student at ESALq