Jonata de Arruda Francisco
Life Sciences
A native of Pernambuco with a lifelong fascination for aquatic life, Jonata de Arruda Francisco spent his childhood exploring rivers and mangroves, captivated by mussels, crabs, and the vibrant music of Chico Science. This early curiosity for the natural world led him to pursue a degree in biological sciences at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, where he earned his master’s and PhD in oceanography.
He now finds fulfillment in a career as an environmental consultant using cutting-edge genetic tools such as eDNA and metabarcoding to study predation and competition within fish populations. This research has immense potential to advance sustainable fisheries management. Jonata maintains an active lifestyle outside his scientific pursuits, balancing his passion for running and the outdoors with his guitar, a trusty companion for respite and inspiration.
Projects
The integration of ecology and genetics using environmental DNA (eDNA) and metabarcoding is revolutionizing the way we study biodiversity. These powerful tools allow us to study biological communities at large scales and incredible resolution, providing unprecedented insights into ecological interactions. This project will use these genetic tools to investigate the relative importance of predation and competition in shaping fish communities in tropical estuaries. Our findings will directly inform sustainable fisheries management strategies used by traditional fishing communities in protected areas in northern and northeastern Brazil.
This research addresses two of the top 100 fundamental questions in ecology: What causes the significant variability observed in the recruitment of organisms in some ecosystems? And what is the relative importance of direct versus indirect interactions in determining how species affect each other? By combining these disciplines and techniques, this project aims to provide valuable guidance for conservation and sustainable management of natural resources, particularly in complex ecosystems such as estuaries, which play a vital role in the region’s bioeconomy.
