Edicson Parra Sánchez

Research

Hola a amigos.

My research focuses on understanding and quantifying the causes and consequences of species loss, and the effect it has on community structure and ecosystem functioning using epiphytes as a model group. I am also very passionate about incorporating scientific findings into knowledge exchange activities for rural communities and government institutions.

As a postdoctoral researcher in the Edwards lab, I am working to quantify and predict the different facets of landscape simplification on biodiversity and ecosystem functions in the Andes. For this, I am collecting data of epiphyte plants as model group across three gradients:

1. Spatial gradient

2. Geophysical gradient

3. Human-disturbance gradient

During my PhD I worked on understanding the drivers of community structure and functioning using epiphyte plants from the Brazilian Atlantic forest in order to ascertain how human-modified habitats affect diversity from a landscape perspective.

About me

When carrying out fieldwork, I enjoy sharing experiences with local people with a cold beer. When not, I like to play football, do canopy climbing, cook and get involved in community conservation projects.