Rodrigo Béllo Carvalho - Mammals in the Anthropocene: Insights from Long-Term Monitoring at Jasper Ridge

Rodrigo Béllo Carvalho, Ph.D. Candidate in Biology (Ecology & Evolution), Stanford University

Mammals in the Anthropocene: Insights from Long-Term Monitoring at Jasper Ridge

Talk Description

In the Anthropocene, mammals are facing growing anthropogenic pressure, leading to drastic population declines but also subtler shifts in behavior and habitat use. In this talk, we will briefly place Jasper Ridge within this broader context, explore the preserve’s diverse mammal community, and show how its long-term, well-curated camera-trap monitoring has helped us understand mammal responses to anthropogenic environmental change. Drawing on two recent studies, we will discuss how mammal activity at Jasper Ridge changed during the COVID-19 lockdown and whether vegetation changes associated with wildfire fuel-reduction clearings have influenced mammal activity at the preserve. Through these examples, we aim to highlight the complexity of wildlife responses to anthropogenic disturbance and, fundamentally, the immense value of long-term ecological monitoring for understanding and conserving mammals in a changing landscape.

Speaker Bio

Rodrigo Béllo Carvalho is a Jasper Ridge Docent (2024) and Philippe S. Cohen Graduate Fellow. He is a field biologist deeply passionate about wildlife ecology and conservation. His academic and professional journey bridges research, fieldwork, and environmental stewardship across some of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. 

His work focuses on understanding the functional role of megafauna (large-bodied vertebrates) in shaping tropical ecosystems through processes such as frugivory, herbivory, and seed dispersal. He is particularly interested in how savanna biodiversity, structure, and functioning respond to the loss of megafauna (defaunation), and how ecological insights can inform restoration and conservation strategies in a rapidly changing world. You can read more about his journey and creditials at his Stanford profile.

Rodrigo is pursuing his PhD in Biology at Stanford in the Dirzo Lab, where his research explores megafauna-ecosystem interactions across Brazilian and African savannas, with a focus on how defaunation reshapes ecosystems. He also collaborate with UNESP’s Bird Ecology Lab on frugivory, seed dispersal, and ecological restoration in the Atlantic Forest.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

3:30 - 4 PM Reception

4 - 5 PM Lecture followed by Q&A

All events in the JRBP Community Lecture Series are free and open to the public.

Recordings of talks are available after the event, subject to speaker consent and available funds.