Research output per year
Research output per year
Dr, Dr, Hons(Bio) Lisbon , MSc(GIS) LisbonTech , PhD W.Aust .
The University of Western Australia (M090), 35 Stirling Highway, Rm G18, Botany Building, Crawley campus
6009 Perth
Australia
I am a postdoctoral research fellow with the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub of the National Environmental Science Program. My work is inter-disciplinary and focuses on how we can better plan, design and manage urban environments in order to make these more liveable and sustainable places. I am particularly interested on 1) understanding how the design of urban green spaces can better incorporate interdisciplinary knowledge on the socio-ecological benefits of those spaces, 2) integration of biodiversity conservation and human-Nature connection values in urban green space and urban forest management, 3) conservation of remnant biodiversity, 4) understanding the contribution of biodiversity to sense of place, and 5) integration of Indigenous knowledge in urban planning and environmental management.
Another key and long-term research interest has been spatial ecology. Before starting this postdoc position in January 2016, I worked for three years at the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The common denominator to the several projects I worked on was the use of spatial ecology frameworks and tools to address specific ecological questions. Projects included spatial conservation prioritization using Marxan, analysis of habitat fragmentation in the Perth Metropolitan Area, use of Maxent species distribution models to understand potential impacts of future climate change and to support phylogeographic inferences, development of topo-climatic spatial surfaces using ibutton technology, population viability analysis, and citizen science.
In my PhD (2012), I analysed the effects of urbanization-driven fragmentation on remnant Banksia woodland plant communities in the Perth Metropolitan Area. There started my discovery journey and love affair for the south western Australian flora and landscapes, and their unique evolutionary history.
Prior to coming to Australia and after completion of a Biology degree at the University of Lisbon, I worked in a Portuguese environmental consultancy company as a botanist and GIS ecologist (2004-2007), and at the Technical University of Lisbon as a research fellow in a project using geostatistical modelling to map the atmospheric deposition of heavy metals using lichens and mosses as bio-monitors (2003-2004).
Since 2016, I am an invited lecturer to the unit LACH 4423 Ecological Systems for MSc students of Landscape Architecture. The lectures I deliver focus on concepts of ecological theory that are relevant for urban planning and design; aspects related with the biogeography, natural and human history of the South-western Australia that are relevant to urban planning and design in the region; ecological design and George's Seddon legacy in this field.
Over the years, I have also lectured and taught in the scope of other units, including Plants and Landscape Systems (LACH3030), Ecology (ENVT2250), and Plant Diversity and Evolution (PLNT 2204).
I welcome PhD and MSc students that would like to develop a project in topics related with my research and that are able to apply and obtain their own scholarship. I work in a multi-disciplinary team and welcome students from different fields, including ecology, landscape architecture, urban design, and social sciences.
The projects I am currently leading are:
Other projects I am actively involved and that are led by other colleagues include:
English (proficient), Portuguese (mother language), Spanish (very good), French (some)
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
Research output: Book/Report › Other output
Research output: Book/Report › Other output
Research output: Book/Report › Scholarly edition
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
1/01/19 → 30/06/21
Project: Research
WA Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions DBCA
1/01/19 → 30/06/21
Project: Research
Cristina Estima Ramalho (Invited speaker)
Activity: Service and engagement › Collaboration on community projects
Cristina Estima Ramalho (Participant)
Activity: Conferences and workshops › Participation in workshop, seminar or course
Cristina Estima Ramalho (Speaker)
Activity: Service and engagement › Public lecture, debate or seminar
Cristina Estima Ramalho (Speaker)
Activity: Service and engagement › Public lecture, debate or seminar
Cristina Estima Ramalho (Participant)
Activity: Conferences and workshops › Contribution or participation in a conference