Research
At the Paz Lab, inquiries have typically revolved around three main axes (1-3), resulting in software development (4) and extensive reflections on data sharing, researcher recognition, policy engagement, and the challenges faced by women in science (5).
1. Patterns of biodiversity at the macroecological scale
a. Global patterns of biodiversity and differences between taxonomic groups
We are currently looking at global patterns of biodiversity in different taxonomic groups and their environmental drivers. We are investigating how taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity shed light on the assembly of biodiversity at coarse scales. Within this project we are also investigating how incorporating measures of divergence in the functional and phylogenetic dimensions reveal new biogeographical patterns and help in our understanding of the distribution of biodiversity.
b. Patterns of biodiversity , environmental correlates and biodiversity prediction in specific ecosystems
For the Brazilian Atlantic Forest I evaluated how environmental variables such as climate (temperature and precipitation), climatic stability, topography etc. are related to patterns of diversity (both taxonomic and phylogenetic). This project has resulted in 4 publications and a couple more are in the pipeline.
We are currently exploring the applicability of the Near Real time model to other ecosystems and questions. For instance, former undergraduate student Yuber initiated tests for the Amazon rainforest, which we aim to further pursue.
- Potential of remote sensing data for indirect estimates of plant diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic forest
- Patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
- Environmental correlates of diversity in the Atlantic Forest
- Near Real time predictions of biodiversity loss and gain
- A seminar was conducted for the Biology Institute at UNAM in Mexico regarding this project in Spanish.
2. Regional/local phylogeography of neotropical taxa
For years I have been interested in the determinants of genetic structure and genetic diversity in the neotropics. Although our work on this topic mostly focuses on neotropical amphibians some members of the group have brought in other systems such as small mammals.
We have found that a combination of factors are important and this is related to species traits (e.g. dispersal ability). It is the interaction between each species traits and their environment that determines the strength or permeability of a given barrier. The work on amphibians has been done in collaboration with past and present members of two great labs: The CrawfordLab at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia and The CarnavalLab at CUNY. Definitely check them out!
- Paz A+, Gonzalez GA+*, Crawford AJ. 2019. Responses of frogs of different elevation ranges in the cordillera of Colombia to past climatic change. 11(1):e37055. Frontiers of biogeography [GET]
- Paz A, Spanos Z, Brown JL, Lyra M, Haddad C, Rodrigues M, Carnaval AC. 2018. Phylogeography of Atlantic Forest glassfrogs (Vitreorana): when geography, climate dynamics and rivers matter. Heredity.122:545-557 [GET]
- Paz A, Ibáñez R, Lips KR, Crawford AJ. 2015. Testing the role of ecology and life history in structuring genetic variation across a landscape: A trait-based phylogeographic approach. Molecular Ecology. 24(14): 3723-3737. [Cover] [GET]
- Guarnizo CE, Paz A, Muñoz-Ortiz A, Flechas SV, Mendez-Narvaez J, Crawford AJ. 2015. DNA barcoding survey of anurans across the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia and the impact of the Andes on cryptic diversity. PLOS one. 10(5): e0127312 [GET]
- Paz A, Gonzalez M, Crawford AJ. 2011. Códigos de barras de la vida: Introducción y perspectiva. Acta Biológica Colombiana. 16(3):161-176. [GET]
- Paz A, Crawford AJ. 2012. Molecular-based rapid inventories of sympatric diversity: A comparison of DNA barcode clustering methods applied to geography-based vs. clade-based sampling of amphibians. Journal of Biosciences. 37(5):887-896. [Cover] [GET]
Although we employ a variety of methods and techniques this work has mostly taken advantage of DNA barcode data for phylogeography applications and for surveying diversity in combination with species distribution modeling approaches for which we have developed some methods
3. Interdisciplinary spatially explicit research
(including the study of disease vectors for humans and animals, sustainable agriculture and deforestation drivers)
In this lab we love maps and models so we have been involved in different collaborative projects using spatially explicit sampling designs, ecological niche modeling and others to understand the distribution and climate drivers of tropical diseases, their vectors and causing agents in collaboration with Camila Gonzalez at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. We published three papers out of this collaboration, on sandfly distribution inside villages in northern Colombia, on sandfly distribution changes under climate change and, one on malaria vector, parasite and infection in Cordoba, Colombia. We have also worked with a group of researchers led by Vicky Flechas to study how the chytrid fungi currently threatening hundreds of species of amphibians is distributed in Colombia and how illegal trafficking has eroded genetic diversity of a beautiful poison frog, Oophaga lehmanni in the Pacific coast of Colombia.
With interdisciplinarity in mind we have on a few occasions joined forces with social scientists to better understand complex systems. This led to a few publications where we investigate the effect of communal property of land by afrocolombian communities in deforestation patterns.
and the impacts of planting local versus clonal varieties of cacao in Ecuador for both communities and biodiversity. Also in collaboration with researchers in Brazil we tested the application of diversity predictions to understand the trade-offs between conservation and agriculture in the state of Santa Catarina in Brazil.
Looking forward to more collaborations like these!
- González C, Paz A, Ferro C. 2014. Predicted altitudinal shifts and reduced spatial distribution of Leishmania infantum vector species under climate change scenarios in Colombia. Acta Tropica. 129:83-90 [GET]
- Gonzalez C, Molina G, Leon C, Salcedo N, Rondon S, Paz A, Atencia MC, Tovar C, Ortiz M. 2017. Assessing the eco-epidemiology of Malaria transmission in northern Colombia through vector and parasite species identification, spatial distribution and infection rate analyses. Malaria Journal.16(1):431. [GET]
- Flechas SV+, Paz A+, Crawford AJ, Sarmiento C, Acevedo A, Arboleda A, Bolívar-García W, Echeverry-Sandoval CL, Franco R, Mojica C, Muñoz A, Palacios-Rodríguez P, Posso-Terranova A, Quintero-Marín MP, Rueda-Solano LA, Castro-H F, Amézquita A. 2017. Current and predicted distribution of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Colombia, a hotspot of amphibian biodiversity. Biotropica.49(5):685-694 [GET]
- Betancourth-C M, Palacios-R P, Mejía D, Paz A, Amézquita A. 2020. Genetic differentiation and overexploitation history of the critically endangered Lehmann Poison Frog: Oophaga lehmanni. Conservation Genetics. 21:453-465 [GET]
- Velez MA, Robalino J, Cardenas JC, Paz A, Pacay E. 2020. Is Collective Titling Enough to Protect Forests? Evidence from Afro-descendants Communities in the Colombian Pacific Region. World Development. 128:104837. [GET]
- Rueda X, Paz A, Gibbs-Plessl T, Leon R, Moyano B, Lambin ED. 2018. Smallholders at a cross-road: intensify or fall behind? Exploring alternative livelihood strategies in a globalized world. Business Strategy and the Environment, 27(2):215–229. [GET]
4. Software Development
a. Wallace EcoMod
We are part of the developing team of the Wallace EcoMod software. Wallace is a modular, R-based platform for reproducible modeling of species niches and distributions. The application guides users through a complete analysis, from the acquisition of data to visualizing model predictions on an interactive map, thus bundling complex workflows into a single, streamlined interface.
We are particularly involved in working on the expansion of the platform to include conservation applications in a co-design with users approach (Blair et al, in review) and the writing of new R packages to complement the platform. For example the changeRangeR package was created to obtain biodiversity change metrics from species distribution models and has now been incorporated into de Wallace workflow (Galante et al 2023).
We are looking forward to continuing with this work and potentially including some community ecology analyses into the workflow!
In the meantime we keep working on outreach materials, translations to spanish, french and others and provide semi-regular training workshops at conferences, through webinars, with academic partners and more (keep an eye on the Wallace website and our social media for announcements!).
- Kass JM, Pinilla-Buitrago G, Paz A et al. 2023. Interactive modeling of species niches and distributions using a redesigned and expanded Wallace 2.0. Ecography. 3:e06547 https://nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ecog.06547
- Galante PJ, Chang S, Paz A, Aiello-Lammens M, Gerstner BE, Johnson BA, Kass JM, Merow C, Noguera-Urbano E, Pinilla-Buitrago GE, Blair ME. 2023. changeRangeR: an R package for reproducible biodiversity change metrics from species distribution estimates Conservation science and practice. 5:e12863 https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.12863
- Aiello-Lammens ME, Paz A, Johnson BA., Blair ME. and Pearson RG. 2023. A Brief Introduction to Species Distribution Modeling for Conservation Educators and Practitioners. Lessons in Conservation. 13: 61–75. https://www.amnh.org/content/download/418832/6050544/file/lessons-in-conservation-volume-13.pdf
- Johnson BA, Pinilla-Buitrago GE, Paz A, Kass JM, Meenan SI, Anderson RP. 2022. Creating and optimizing species distribution models: A vignette for Wallace Ecological Modeling Application v2.0. https://wallaceecomod.github.io/wallace/articles/tutorial-v2.html (with Spanish translation by Paz A & Johnson BA). Lessons in Conservation. 13: 76–118 https://www.amnh.org/content/download/418832/6050544/file/lessons-in-conservation-volume-13.pdf
b. Other Software
Occasionally our own research questions have led us to realize some needs in terms of software that have resulted in thesis or internship projects. For example Felix Specker was a Master level student in computational sciences at ETH Zurich who during a trimester project helped us to develop a tool to standardize scientific names of trees across databases, this work resulted in the R package Treemendous that was recently published! Here is a blog post about it for more info.
5. Career reflections
Being in academia for the better part of the last decade I have come to be interested in several topics related to a career in science and academia as a latinx and have tried to share these reflections, discuss them with colleagues and back them with data. These topics include transparent science (data and code sharing), policy engagement, recognition of work done by students and postdocs and diversity, equity and inclusion and in particular a commitment to improving the environment for women in science. I look forward to more enriching discussions and reflections on these topics.
- Reflections on our career as scientists, the recognition system, and engagement in policy:
- Under-representation of female scientists and challenges of sexism in Colombian and Latin-American academia:
