Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
@ornithoale.bsky.social
#CienciaCriolla 🇨🇴 | Assistant Prof at UC Berkeley | NatGeo Young Explorer| CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2024-2026|
PI of the Echeverri Lab: Conserving Wildlife and Human Cultures
She/Ella #LatinasSTEM
PI of the Echeverri Lab: Conserving Wildlife and Human Cultures
She/Ella #LatinasSTEM
Pinned
New year, new platform! Hoping to rebuild my network… 👋
I miss the old 🐦⬛ days, but I’m excited to build back my network better and use this platform to share news about the Echeverri Lab at UC Berkeley! We are growing and I can’t wait to introduce the new members!
I miss the old 🐦⬛ days, but I’m excited to build back my network better and use this platform to share news about the Echeverri Lab at UC Berkeley! We are growing and I can’t wait to introduce the new members!
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
🌿 An honor to present at UC Berkeley's Wildlife Seminar where I talked about the use of AI + species distribution models to study agriculture's impacts on wildlife and One Health.
Thanks @ornithoale.bsky.social for hosting me!
#Wildlife #Tapirs #OneHealth #AIinConservation #UCBerkeley
Thanks @ornithoale.bsky.social for hosting me!
#Wildlife #Tapirs #OneHealth #AIinConservation #UCBerkeley
October 17, 2025 at 11:18 PM
🌿 An honor to present at UC Berkeley's Wildlife Seminar where I talked about the use of AI + species distribution models to study agriculture's impacts on wildlife and One Health.
Thanks @ornithoale.bsky.social for hosting me!
#Wildlife #Tapirs #OneHealth #AIinConservation #UCBerkeley
Thanks @ornithoale.bsky.social for hosting me!
#Wildlife #Tapirs #OneHealth #AIinConservation #UCBerkeley
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Overall, a super fun experience and so lucky to work with my amazing collaborators: @ornithoale.bsky.social who inspired a lot of this work as well as @katherinelauck.bsky.social and Julian Tattoni who TAed the class and helped create this course-based research experience :)
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Overall, a super fun experience and so lucky to work with my amazing collaborators: @ornithoale.bsky.social who inspired a lot of this work as well as @katherinelauck.bsky.social and Julian Tattoni who TAed the class and helped create this course-based research experience :)
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Finally, larger, more attractive species were consistently more likely to be marketed.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Finally, larger, more attractive species were consistently more likely to be marketed.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
This is despite prior work arguing that an emphasis on novel birds translates into dedicated birdwatchers preferring dull species.
Dedicated birdwatchers may value beauty in birds, just like everyone else.
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Second, we were surprised that regularly observed species were more likely to be mentioned in trip itineraries.
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Second, we were surprised that regularly observed species were more likely to be mentioned in trip itineraries.
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
Maybe tour operators are balancing novelty with the risk of disappointing clients when they inevitably fail to encounter rare species?
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Ok, so what did we find?
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Ok, so what did we find?
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
First, tour operators recognized that birdwatchers value novelty above all else. Range-restricted species were ten times more likely to appear in trip itineraries than cosmopolitan species.
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
The most unique part: this was a multi-year class project! So fun to have undergrads help us collect the data, form their own questions, present posters, and then, eventually, have it turn into a published product!
(photos are example student posters)
(photos are example student posters)
October 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
The most unique part: this was a multi-year class project! So fun to have undergrads help us collect the data, form their own questions, present posters, and then, eventually, have it turn into a published product!
(photos are example student posters)
(photos are example student posters)
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Stoked to share our new paper, just out in @amornith.bsky.social, that explores the traits that predict which species that appear in Costa Rican bird itineraries!
(open access link below, thread to follow)
academic.oup.com/condor/advan...
(open access link below, thread to follow)
academic.oup.com/condor/advan...
Validate User
academic.oup.com
October 9, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Stoked to share our new paper, just out in @amornith.bsky.social, that explores the traits that predict which species that appear in Costa Rican bird itineraries!
(open access link below, thread to follow)
academic.oup.com/condor/advan...
(open access link below, thread to follow)
academic.oup.com/condor/advan...
New paper out today led by Prof. @dskarp.bsky.social
Marketing birds: The traits birdwatching tourism companies highlight in Costa Rican tour itineraries
Marketing birds: The traits birdwatching tourism companies highlight in Costa Rican tour itineraries
Stoked to share our new paper, just out in @amornith.bsky.social, that explores the traits that predict which species that appear in Costa Rican bird itineraries!
(open access link below, thread to follow)
academic.oup.com/condor/advan...
(open access link below, thread to follow)
academic.oup.com/condor/advan...
Validate User
academic.oup.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:30 AM
New paper out today led by Prof. @dskarp.bsky.social
Marketing birds: The traits birdwatching tourism companies highlight in Costa Rican tour itineraries
Marketing birds: The traits birdwatching tourism companies highlight in Costa Rican tour itineraries
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Had a great interaction with Sahana Ghosh from Nature India about our black pea research. Here's her excellent story on our paper:
www.nature.com/articles/d44...
@nature.com
@ornithoale.bsky.social
@stanforddoerr.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d44...
@nature.com
@ornithoale.bsky.social
@stanforddoerr.bsky.social
An ancient pea holds lessons for a warming Himalaya
Nurtured for millennia in the Trans-Himalaya, the hardy black pea outperforms cash crops in resilience and nutrition — and could reshape how science values farmers’ knowledge and forgotten foods.
www.nature.com
September 5, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Had a great interaction with Sahana Ghosh from Nature India about our black pea research. Here's her excellent story on our paper:
www.nature.com/articles/d44...
@nature.com
@ornithoale.bsky.social
@stanforddoerr.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d44...
@nature.com
@ornithoale.bsky.social
@stanforddoerr.bsky.social
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
the worst part of every manuscript for an ornithologist,
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
a man in a suit is crying in the rain .
ALT: a man in a suit is crying in the rain .
media.tenor.com
September 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
the worst part of every manuscript for an ornithologist,
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Happy to share our research was featured in Stanford reports. @stanforddoerr.bsky.social @ornithoale.bsky.social
news.stanford.edu/stories/2025...
news.stanford.edu/stories/2025...
The ecological promise of the Himalayan black pea
Stanford researchers discovered a nearly forgotten variety of black peas from the northwest Himalayas that excels in climate resilience and nutrition.
news.stanford.edu
August 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Happy to share our research was featured in Stanford reports. @stanforddoerr.bsky.social @ornithoale.bsky.social
news.stanford.edu/stories/2025...
news.stanford.edu/stories/2025...
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Happy to share our research on traditional farming landscapes in northwest Himalaya is out in Science Advances! Thanks to my advisor Tulja & all the wonderful collaborators- Ale @ornithoale.bsky.social, Katie @kasolari.bsky.social, Akshata, Kullu, Rinchen, Lamaji. 1/7 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
August 19, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Happy to share our research on traditional farming landscapes in northwest Himalaya is out in Science Advances! Thanks to my advisor Tulja & all the wonderful collaborators- Ale @ornithoale.bsky.social, Katie @kasolari.bsky.social, Akshata, Kullu, Rinchen, Lamaji. 1/7 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Check out our newest study published in Science Advances last Friday ❤️
With support from the Sustainability Accelerator at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, researchers have shown that, compared to green peas, a variety of black peas with a 3,000-year legacy in the Trans-Himalayas is more nutritious and climate resilient.
Study reveals benefits of traditional Himalayan crops
Stanford researchers discovered that a nearly forgotten variety of black peas from the northwest Himalayas in India is genetically distinct from other peas and outperforms them.
stanford.io
August 19, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Check out our newest study published in Science Advances last Friday ❤️
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
See you at #ESA2025 next week!Find me at the ESA SEEDS events, Wed, 10:30 AM Panel on Careers at a Research Station with OBFS friends; and Thu, 5 PM Poster LB 13-177 on Wildfire resilience initiatives at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ('Ootchamin 'Ooyakma)!
August 8, 2025 at 2:26 PM
See you at #ESA2025 next week!Find me at the ESA SEEDS events, Wed, 10:30 AM Panel on Careers at a Research Station with OBFS friends; and Thu, 5 PM Poster LB 13-177 on Wildfire resilience initiatives at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ('Ootchamin 'Ooyakma)!
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
The Xue lab at UC Irvine is looking for a staff scientist to support our work investigating how microbes interact and evolve in the gut microbiome! Open to a wide range of previous experience levels, see ad for more.
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09601
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09601
Junior, Assistant, or Associate Specialist – Xue Lab
University of California, Irvine is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ap.uci.edu
July 17, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The Xue lab at UC Irvine is looking for a staff scientist to support our work investigating how microbes interact and evolve in the gut microbiome! Open to a wide range of previous experience levels, see ad for more.
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09601
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09601
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Of course the main purpose of a yard is to attract bugs, and the best way to attract bugs is with native plants, so that’s mostly what we do. Here’s a sampling—descriptions in alt text. 🐝🦋🐛🐜🪰🪲🐞 (Remaining grass lets us play games and lets doggies chase balls, but is slowly going to clover)
July 7, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Of course the main purpose of a yard is to attract bugs, and the best way to attract bugs is with native plants, so that’s mostly what we do. Here’s a sampling—descriptions in alt text. 🐝🦋🐛🐜🪰🪲🐞 (Remaining grass lets us play games and lets doggies chase balls, but is slowly going to clover)
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Have you ever cited or come across a mention of the 'human shield hypothesis' and wondered: what is the evidence for this hypothesis, and what is the quality of that evidence? Wonder no more!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The Human Shield Hypothesis: Does Predator Avoidance of Humans Create Refuges for Prey?
The human shield hypothesis posits that predators avoid areas of human disturbance due to perceived risk from humans, and prey therefore seeks refuge in these areas of perceived safety. Our systemati....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 17, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Have you ever cited or come across a mention of the 'human shield hypothesis' and wondered: what is the evidence for this hypothesis, and what is the quality of that evidence? Wonder no more!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
It was a pleasure to work with my amazing interdisciplinary team of coauthors: @ornithoale.bsky.social, Maya Xu, @flamingmuffinz.bsky.social, Mei Li Palmeri, Meggie Callahan, Nicole Ardoin, and Gretchen Daily
May 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM
It was a pleasure to work with my amazing interdisciplinary team of coauthors: @ornithoale.bsky.social, Maya Xu, @flamingmuffinz.bsky.social, Mei Li Palmeri, Meggie Callahan, Nicole Ardoin, and Gretchen Daily
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
This underscores the importance of urban community gardens - not only do they provide habitat for biodiversity and opportunities to access nature, but also many other benefits: social connections, education, and food sovereignty. Let’s work to protect and advocate for urban community gardens!
May 14, 2025 at 4:58 AM
This underscores the importance of urban community gardens - not only do they provide habitat for biodiversity and opportunities to access nature, but also many other benefits: social connections, education, and food sovereignty. Let’s work to protect and advocate for urban community gardens!
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Regardless, these results are exciting - they suggest that community gardens have the potential to provide access to nature across an income gradient! People in both high and low income neighborhoods in San Francisco can have positive interactions with birds in gardens.
May 14, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Regardless, these results are exciting - they suggest that community gardens have the potential to provide access to nature across an income gradient! People in both high and low income neighborhoods in San Francisco can have positive interactions with birds in gardens.
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Why might this be? It could be because birds are highly mobile organisms, the nature of San Francisco (compact, lots of greenspace, heterogenous), regional effects (luxury effect is stronger in tropical and arid environments), or community gardens themselves.
May 14, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Why might this be? It could be because birds are highly mobile organisms, the nature of San Francisco (compact, lots of greenspace, heterogenous), regional effects (luxury effect is stronger in tropical and arid environments), or community gardens themselves.
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
For example, we expected lower income neighborhoods to have less canopy cover and therefore less avian species richness, but instead found all three of these variables were unrelated!
May 14, 2025 at 4:57 AM
For example, we expected lower income neighborhoods to have less canopy cover and therefore less avian species richness, but instead found all three of these variables were unrelated!
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Instead, we found that avian species richness and abundance were predicted by local and landscape-scale environmental factors, very few of which were correlated with income.
May 14, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Instead, we found that avian species richness and abundance were predicted by local and landscape-scale environmental factors, very few of which were correlated with income.
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
Surprisingly, given past studies on the luxury effect that show higher biodiversity in higher income neighborhoods, we found no relationships between any of these metrics and garden income!
May 14, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Surprisingly, given past studies on the luxury effect that show higher biodiversity in higher income neighborhoods, we found no relationships between any of these metrics and garden income!
Reposted by Alejandra Echeverri, PhD
For each garden, we compared three bird metrics with garden income: species richness, abundance, and a species access metric, a metric for our 10 focal species that was higher where there were more individuals from species people noticed and cared about.
May 14, 2025 at 4:56 AM
For each garden, we compared three bird metrics with garden income: species richness, abundance, and a species access metric, a metric for our 10 focal species that was higher where there were more individuals from species people noticed and cared about.