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RICARDO ALVAREZ

I'm Marine Biologist from Chile and I have worked in conservation of marine species and coastal ecosystem for more than 10 years. My research interests are how we can protect threatened marine species, such as cetacean and otters, in South American waters, more specifically the understanding of drivers behind species distribution patterns.  I aim for my work to be relevant to support local conservation efforts and the implementation of conservation strategies.

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CURRENT WORK / RESEARCH

In my PhD I am taking two approaches.  The first a modelling approach focuses on the spatial ecology and using Species Distribution models and other modelling approaches to examine spatial patterns and their drivers for the marine mammals of South American waters. This broad scale approach uses these distribution patterns to then examine niche overlap across species. The second approach is a field-based program that examines fine scale distribution patterns focusing on two in-shore dolphins, the Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) and the Chilean dolphin (Cephalorhynhus eutropia).  For this program my research focuses at four sites in exposed coastal regions of southern Chile, where here I'm assessing also the distribution patterns and the environmental variables related with their distribution.

PAST EDUCATION & WORK

  • Marine Biologist in the Universidad Austral de Chile.

  • Diplomate in conservation and management of natural resources in Universidad de Yucatan, Mexico.

  • MSc in Conservation Science in Imperial College London.

  • I have worked in Non Government Organisations, Conservacion Marina (Chile), where I worked as a consultant.

PUBLICATIONS

Olavaria C., R. Alvarez, R. Correa, M. Badilla & H. Carrasco.2007. Impactos reales y potenciales de las actividades antropogénicas sobre mamíferos marinos en Chile: Nutrias. Memorias del Taller de Trabajo sobre el Impacto de las Actividades Antropogénicas en Mamíferos Marinos en el Pacífico Sudeste. Comisión Permanente del Pacifico Sur.

 

Medina, G., R Bartheld, R.E. Alvarez. and C. Delgado., J. 2006. Population assessment and habitat use by marine otter (Lontra felina) in southern Chile. Wildlife Biology.

 

Delgado, C., R. Alvarez, A. Pfeifer. 2005. Population density and habitat characteristics of the marine otter (Lontra felina) in the Central-South of Chile, Preliminary Results. The River Otter Journal, Vol. XIV(2): 7-13.

 

Medina, G., C. Delgado., R.E. Alvarez. and J. Bartheld. 2004. Trophic ecology of the marine otter (Lontra felina, Molina 1782) in rocky seashore of the South of Chile. Marine Mammal Science: Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 134–144.

SCHOLARSHIPS

  • PhD Scholarship by Becas Chile system, 2014 (CONICYT – Chile)

  • Master of Science scholarship by Becas Chile system, 2010 (CONICYT- Chile)

 

GRANTS

 

  • PADI Foundation, Conservation of Coastal Dolphin in Chile, 2015 

  • National Geographic, Conservation of Coastal Dolphin in Southern Chile, 2015

  • Rufford Foundation, Population Density, Distribution and Conservation Status of Marine Otter (Lontra Felina, Molina 1782) in the Great Island of Chiloé, and Channels and Fiords of the Southern Coast of Chile, 2006, 2008, 2010.

  • WWF – Russell E. Train Education for Nature,  Seminar and Congress in Internation Otter Colloquium, South Korea, 2007

r.alvarezpacheco@student.unsw.edu.au

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