Jose Manuel Ochoa-Quintero
jmo34@cam.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1223 331698
I am biologist (hons) from the University of Antioquia in Colombia. In 2009 I finished my master studies in Ecology and Evolution following the track in Tropical Ecology at University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I developed part of my studies doing research at Wetlands International in understanding the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on waterbirds numbers; and in defining priority areas to perform gap filling surveys for waterbirds in Africa, based on species distribution models.
Research Interests
My main interest is to understand the deforestation patterns in tropical forest and their relation with birds and primates populations. I have been working mainly with birds, with an emphasis on curassows, guans and chachalacas (Cracidae Family). Previous to my Master degree I worked with Blue-Billed Curassow, an endemic critically endangered bird. During my field work in the Colombian Andes I realized the importance of linking local communities with conservation practice and of including socioeconomic aspects in my research.
My PhD project is focused on the deforestation process dynamics in the Amazon region. I consider the understanding of such dynamics, in terms of drivers (cattle ranching, roads, and human population density) and biodiversity consequences at local scale, a key factor to discover plausible options to decrease the deforestation rate. In addition, this knowledge may underpin the right application of policies and contribute to find a balance between welfare for local people and biodiversity.
I am working under the supervision of Professor William Sutherland. I got a Miriam Rothschild Studentship for developing my PhD studies.
Publications
- Li, Z.W.D., Bloem, A., Delany, S., Martakis, G. & Ochoa-Quintero, J.M. 2009. Status of Waterbirds in Asia – Results of the Asian Waterbird Census: 1987-2007. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 296 pp. Wetlands International
- Cuervo, A.M., Calderón-Franco, D., Pulgarín P.C., Ochoa-Quintero, J.M., Delgado, C., Palacio-Vieira, J.A., Múnera, W. and Botero J. 2008. The cloud forest avifauna of the Northern Cordillera Central of The Andes, Colombia, Neotropical Ornithology, 19: 495–515
- Melo-Vásquez, I., Ochoa-Quintero, J.M., López-Arévalo, H.F. and Velásquez-Sandino, M.P. 2008. Potential habitat loss and subsistence hunting of Blue Billed Curassow (Crax alberti), a Colombian critically endangered endemic Bird, Caldasia,30(1):161-177
- Ochoa-Quintero, J.M., Melo-Vásquez, I., Palacio-Vieira, J.A., and Patiño, A.M. 2005. New Reports and Notes about Natural History of Colombian Curassow, Crax alberti at the north Andes, Ornitología Colombiana,3, 42-50
- Cuervo, A.M., Salaman, P.G.W., Donegan, T.M. and Ochoa, J.M. 2001. A new species of Piha (Cotingidae: Lipaugus) from northern Colombia, Ibis, Vol 143, 3, 353-538
