Chatting to an Ecologist: Five questions to Pedro Anastácio

MARE researcher Pedro Anastácio was the latest guest in the series “Chatting to an Ecologist”. This initiative is a partnership between Wilder magazine and the Portuguese Ecological Society, which introduces us to different Portuguese ecologists. 

MARE researcher Pedro Anastácio became interested in nature “quite early on” through the activities organized by former ecologist and professor at the University of Coimbra Francisco Ferrand d'Almeida. Today, at the age of 57, the MARE researcher focuses mainly on freshwater ecosystems and invasive alien fauna, studying how invasive species disperse, where they can occur, what impacts they have on the environment and how they are perceived by people.

For Pedro Anastácio, the best part of his job is “undoubtedly the field work, where I can deal directly with the species I study”.  According to the researcher, the field of ecology is extremely important “because it makes the connection between everything living and non-living, allowing us to understand how the world works. It's like lifting a veil and realizing that, beyond the direct and visible relationships, there is a complex invisible network of interactions between creatures and natural phenomena.”

In the future, Pedro Anastácio would like to continue working in the field of ecology. “Although my work covers the whole planet, it requires me to spend too much time in front of the computer. That's why I'd love to take part in a scientific expedition to a remote location. One example would be to visit Mount Roraima, on the border between Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana. Due to its isolation, this region is home to many species that don't exist anywhere else in the world,” he concludes.

To access the interview click HERE