Sara Ferreira Nunes

I graduated in 2019 from a MSc in Conservation Biology at the University of Lisbon. For my MSc thesis I worked in the Berlengas archipelago, where I investigated the effects of the eradication of invasive mammals on the diet and morphology of an endemic lizard. This allowed me to expand my research experience in invasion biology, herpetology and island ecology. It also allowed me to gain experience in sampling design, capture and manipulation of lizards, as well as isotopic analysis.

After that I volunteered in several LIFE projects, such as LIFE+ Ilhas Barreira and LIFE+ Berlengas, coordinated by SPEA. I assisted in the monitoring of island invasive mammals, removal of the invasive plants, and in the monitoring of artificial nests for seabirds. Over the last year I have further expanded my field experience by working as research assistant in a forest intervention project. I worked in montado agroecosystems, assessing the spatial distribution of the flathead oak borer Coroebus undatus, one of the main pests of cork oaks. I was responsible for monitoring the insect traps, handling captured individuals and data analysis. 

My PhD project focuses on uncover the macroecological patterns of reptile invasions on islands and, using Teira dugesii as a model, investigate the phenotypic and ecological shifts between the species’ native and non-native range and their evolutionary background, in order to identify the environmental factors and biological mechanisms promoting island  colonization by alien reptiles.