Ana Maria Bastidas Urrutia
PhD student, ecologist
Background
Since 2019 PhD student at the Chair of Terrestrial Ecology, Technische Universität München under the supervision of Dr. C. Hof. Topic: Trait-based spatial community ecology of island birds: crossing scales and ecosystems. 2015- 2018 M.Sc. Evolution, Ecology and Systematic at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Thesis: ” The effect of light on web building preferences in spiders (Steatoda triangulosa)”. 2001- 2009 B.Sc. Biology at Universidad de Nariño, Colombia. Thesis: “Prioritization of research areas in the Formicidae family in the States of Cauca and Nariño, Colombia”. I am a biologist with a passion for birds, biogeography, landscape ecology, and conservation.
I started my professional career studying Biology at the University of Nariño in Colombia (2009). During this time, I had the opportunity to work in different ecosystems and organisms. The fieldwork allowed me to observe all the biodiversity, interactions between species, and the environment’s dynamics. All these experiences made me fall in love. At the end of my degree, very impressed by all this biodiversity, I worked for several years in nature conservation. With GIS tools, fieldwork, and work with minority groups, I participated in the delimitation of ecosystems for their protection in my country. Then I decided to go further and did my master in Evolution and Ecology at the University of Munich – LMU (2018). Here I had the opportunity to get involved in the fascinating world of animal behaviour. I developed my master project in understanding how spiders’ behaviour is affected by artificial light disturbance.
Finally, a dream that I had since my bachelor’s degree reappeared: Mixing two of my great passions, birds and island biogeography. This is why I am now developing my doctoral project at the TUM as well. Through this project I aim to understand the variation in species richness, traits, and community structure of island birds on a global scale. In order to achieve this goal, I am analysing the importance of dispersal and resource acquisition traits in shaping the assemblage of bird communities on islands of different area sizes and degrees of isolation.
The results are fascinating, and each discovery makes me want to know more.
Publications
2019
- Zollinger, S.A., Dorado-Correa, A., Goymann, W., Forstmeier, W., Knief, U., Bastidas Urrutia, A.M. and Brumm, H., 2019. Traffic noise exposure depresses plasma corticosterone and delays offspring growth in breeding zebra finches. Conservation physiology, 7(1), p.coz056. PDF
2018
- Czaczkes, T. J., A. M. Bastidas-Urrutia, P. Ghislandi and C. Tuni. 2018. Reduced light avoidance in spiders from populations in light-polluted urban environments. The Science of Nature 105:64. PDF
Books & other publications
2015
- Villaquirán Burbano, Luis A., Francisco J. Vidal Giraldo, Gamadiel Almario Cabrera, Nancy E. Cucuñame, Jaime Mauna De Los Reyes, Jesús E. Cajas, María C. Urrutia, Ana M. Bastidas Urrutia, et al., 2015 “Estudio Técnico Económico Social Ambiental (ET-ESA) del Complejo de Páramos Nevado Huila-Moras en jurisdicción de la Corporación Autónoma Regional del Cauca (CRC)”. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11761/9499
2014
- Villaquirán Burbano, L.A., Vidal Giraldo, F.J., Cabrera, G.A., Cucuñame, N.E., Mauna De los Reyes, J., Eduardo Cajas, J., Urrutia, M.C., Fletcher, L.M., Agredo, N., Agredo Sandoval, M.A. and Bastidas Urrutia, A.M., 2014 Estudio Técnico Económico Social Ambiental (ET-ESA) del Complejo de Páramos Guanacas-Puracé-Coconucos en jurisdicción de la Corporación Autónoma Regional del Cauca (CRC). http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11761/9489
2008
- BASTIDAS – URRUTIA A. M y SARMIENTO – PANCHO M. Composición y estructura de la comunidad de hormigas en un bosque seco – Reserva natural El Charmolan (resultados preliminares). In: Rodríguez M., G. M.; Guerra G., E.; Reyes B., S.; Banda R., K (Eds), III Congreso Internacional de Ecosistemas Secos “Experiencias y Estrategias para su Conservación y Manejo” (November 2008, Santa Marta, Colombia). Dry Ecosystem Foundation. Bogotá. 181 p. ISBN: 978-958-98766-0-2.
- BASTIDAS – URRUTIA A. M y SARMIENTO – PANCHO M. Chapter 5. Ants of the Charmolan Natural Reserve. Buesaco, Nariño-Colombia, in: Rostros y Retos de la Conservación; ed: CALDERON – LEYTON J. J – ALVAREZ S.L., 2012. In association with GAICA – ADC. Vicerrectoría en investigación y Postgrados – VIPRI, University of Nariño. ISBN: 978-958-8609-39-3
Conference talks & posters
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- Oral presentation. An analysis of global trait spaces of birds on islands : dispersal traits. 14th annual meeting of the specialist group ‘Macroecology of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland – Gesellschaft für Ökologie (GfÖ). Tuesday, 3. March 2020. Konstanz, Germany.
- Poster presentation. An analysis of global trait spaces of birds on islands. GfÖ-Konferenz 2019 – Gesellschaft für Ökologie (GfÖ), Monday, 11. November 2019, Münster, Germany.
- Poster presentation. An analysis of global trait spaces of birds on islands. Island Biology Conference 2019, Université de la Réunion, Thursday, 11. July 2019, La Réunion Island, France.
- Poster presentation. Impact of oil palm cultivation on deforestation rate over the last three decades in the southwest of Colombia. 13th annual meeting of the specialist group ‘Macroecology of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland – Gesellschaft für Ökologie (GfÖ). Wednesday, 13. March 2019. Würzburg, Germany
- Oral presentation. Impact of oil palm cultivation on deforestation rate over the last three decades in the southwest of Colombia. International Union of Forest Research Organizations – IUFRO, Landscape Ecology Conference 2017. Conference session: Human Wildlife Conflicts in cultural landscapes: who pays the bill?, Halle, Germany. September 2017.
- Oral presentation. Composición y estructura de la comunidad de hormigas en un bosque seco – Reserva natural El Charmolan (resultados preliminares). International Congress of Dry Ecosystems. Santa Marta, Colombia. November 2008. 2008. Coordinator of the course: Insects: Models for college research and teaching. Pasto, Colombia. September 2008.
- Event Staff. Course for the integral management of the high and medium watershed zones of the Guiza River. Pasto, Colombia. October 2006.
Awards
- 2017-2018 LMU scholarship by the Bavarian state (December 2017/January 2018)
- 2017 Funding for internship research by “Lehre@LMU-funded research projects grant” from the University of Munich.
- 2009 Meritorious Bachelor Thesis. Score: 98/100
- 2009 Funding for bachelor thesis granted by IDEA WILD – ONG
