Gabriela Montejo-Kovacevich
MRes
Research
I have always been interested in understanding the hierarchy of life and the complex interactions between organisms. My broad research interests can be divided into three areas:
1. Butterflies
At the age of 17 I volunteered to work in the Lepidoptera collections at the Natural History Museum of London. Dr Blanca Huertas, Senior Butterfly Curator, gave me the opportunity to continue butterfly taxonomy research and return to the NHM over several summer periods. In 2014, I started the taxonomic revision of a neotropical butterfly genus (MS in preparation, funded by the Alumni Prize, the University of Sheffield).
2. Eco-evolutionary dynamics
I am interested in the the effects of ongoing evolution on community ecology. I have collaborated with Dr Timothy Farkas, at the Nosil Lab, studying the effects of the evolution of Timema cristinae camouflage on the coexisting arthropod community and the cascading effects on plants.
3. Tropical ecology and conservation
In summer 2015, I investigated the effects of different logging techniques, land-sparing versus land-sparing, on the diversity and abundance of butterflies in the Jamari Concession at Rhondonia, Brazil. The outcomes of this project were used by the logging company AMATA Brasil to minimise their impact on Amazon biodiversity.
Supervised by Dr David Edwards and funded by:
The Explorers Club Youth Activity Fund
The Professor Hering Memorial Award (BENHS)
The Scurfield Bursary (the University of Sheffield)
Laverick-Webster-Hewitt Travelling Fellowship (the University of Sheffield)
Publications
Montejo-Kovacevich, G (2015) Butterflies and logging: An unexplored relationship. British Entomological and Natural History Journal (accepted, December 2015).
Farkas, T E, and Montejo-Kovacevich, G (2014) Density-dependent selection closes an eco-evolutionary feedback loop in the stick insect Timema cristinae. Biology Letters 10: 20140896.
Montejo-Kovacevich, G, and Huertas, B (2015) Taxonomic revision of Mesenopsis (family: Riodinidae) and a new subspecies from Brazil.
About me
I’m originally from Spain and enjoy the sun and good food. While in the UK, my main hobbies are whitewater kayaking and canoe polo, as well as regular visits to local pubs with good friends. I love travelling, walking and sunbathing.
