GundxChange: Flowing through change: how extreme events reshape tropical stream ecosystems

Pablo Gutiérrez-Fonseca, Lecturer, Rubenstein School for Environment and Natural Resources, UVM
March 14, 2025 from 12-1 p.m.
Farrell Hall, room 006

Tropical streams are dynamic ecosystems shaped by climate extremes like hurricanes, droughts, and ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation). In Puerto Rico, hurricanes and prolonged dry periods alter stream structure and function, while in Costa Rica, ENSO-driven changes impact aquatic communities. My research explores how these disturbances influence species organization and ecosystem resilience in stream ecosystems. As climate extremes become more frequent and severe, understanding their ecological impacts is key to refining our assumptions about ecosystem stability and adaptation. 

Pablo E. Gutiérrez-Fonseca is a freshwater ecosystem ecologist and Lecturer at the UVM Rubenstein School. His research focuses on ecosystem dynamics across tropical and temperate freshwater systems, exploring how climate disturbances shape species organization and food web structure. Pablo integrates field research and long-term datasets to assess ecological resilience and ecosystem functioning in a changing world.