Bio

I am a field biologist deeply passionate about wildlife ecology and conservation. My academic and professional journey bridges research, fieldwork, and environmental stewardship across some of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems.

My work focuses on understanding the functional role of megafauna (large-bodied vertebrates) in shaping tropical ecosystems through processes such as frugivory, herbivory, and seed dispersal. I am particularly interested in how savanna biodiversity, structure, and functioning respond to the loss of megafauna (defaunation), and how ecological insights can inform restoration and conservation strategies in a rapidly changing world.

I hold a Master’s degree in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford (2021), and graduated with honors in Biological Sciences (B.Sc., 2017) and Education (B.Ed., 2018) from the University of Brasília (UnB). My ecological journey began at UnB’s Ecosystem Ecology Lab (2014–2018) under Prof. Mercedes Bustamante, where I first engaged with Cerrado ecology and savanna dynamics.

Driven by a commitment to applied conservation, I worked at the Brasília Zoological Garden Foundation (2018) and taught Science and Biology in Brasília’s private schools (2019), experiences that deepened my belief in connecting ecological science and conservation with communities.

At Oxford’s Ecosystems Lab (2020–2021), I studied defaunation and seed dispersal in the Cerrado, working under Dr. Imma Oliveras and Prof. Yadvinder Malhi. I later joined Brazil’s national environmental agency (ICMBio) as an Environmental Analyst and Park Ranger (2022–2023), where I was based in the Western Brazilian Amazon, engaging in biodiversity monitoring, sustainable management of natural resources, and frontline conservation enforcement of three Conservation Units within the Purus River Basin.


Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Biology at Stanford University in the Dirzo Lab, where my research explores megafauna-ecosystem interactions across Brazilian and African savannas, with a focus on how defaunation reshapes ecosystems. I also collaborate with UNESP’s Bird Ecology Lab on frugivory, seed dispersal, and ecological restoration in the Atlantic Forest.

Honors & Awards

  • Philippe S. Cohen Graduate Fellowship, Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (2024)
  • Alwyn Gentry Award – Best Student Oral Presentation (Honorable Mention), Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) (2022)
  • J. Bossanyi Bursary in Environmental Conservation, St Peter’s College, University of Oxford (2021)
  • Institutional Scholarship Program for Scientific Initiation, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (2017)
  • Institutional Scholarship Program for Scientific Initiation, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (2016)
  • Young Talents for Science Scholarship, Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) (2015)

Contact

  • Academic
    rbc08@stanford.edu
    University - Student Department: Biology Position: Graduate

Additional Info

Lab Affiliations

Work Experience

  • Environmental Analyst, Chico Mendes Biodiversity Conservation Institute (July 2022 - March 2023)

    Conduction of management, inspection, monitoring, and protection activities for the territory, biodiversity, and natural resources of three Federal Conservation Units in the Western Brazilian Amazonas (Purus National Forest, Mapia-Inauini National Forest, Arapixi Extractive Reserve).

    Location

    Boca do Acre, Amazonas, Brazil

  • Science and Biology Teacher, Maxwell School (June 2019 - November 2019)

    Responsible for teaching Natural Science and Biology classes to Middle and High School students.

    Location

    Brasília, DF, Brazil

  • Zookeeper, Brasilia Zoological Garden Foundation (February 2018 - February 2019)

    Developed environmental education activities for the visting public. Conducted patrols at the zoo to monitor enclosures and serve the public. Provided scientific and anecdotal information about animals in the exhibits.

    Location

    Brasília, DF, Brazil

All Publications

  • Brazil on fire: Igniting awareness of the 2024 wildfire crisis. Journal of environmental management Bello Carvalho, R., Oliveras Menor, I., Schmidt, I. B., Berlinck, C. N., Genes, L., Dirzo, R. 2025; 389: 126190

    Abstract

    In 2024, South America faced an unprecedented wildfire crisis, with Brazil among the hardest-hit countries. Home to globally significant biomes like the Amazon, Pantanal, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest, Brazil's ecosystems are undergoing massive destruction. Despite the severity of the 2024 wildfires-surpassing even the internationally scrutinized 2020 wildfires-the current disaster remains underreported internationally. Here, we seek to raise global awareness and advocate for immediate, collaborative action to mitigate Brazil's escalating wildfire emergency. We examined the scope, ecological impact, and socioeconomic consequences of the 2024 fires in Brazil, highlighting record-breaking areas burned and widespread wildfire foci. These wildfires are devastating biodiversity, endangering public health, and intensifying environmental injustices across the country. Our analysis reveals a significant relationship between deforestation and wildfire incidence the following year. Smoke pollution reached hazardous levels, impacting urban populations and disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities. Key drivers of this crisis include unsustainable land-use practices, extreme climate conditions, and governance failures, with response efforts hindered by underfunded environmental agencies. This situation underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement of environmental policies, rapid allocation of emergency resources, and the implementation of Brazil's Integrated Fire Management (IFM) programs across federal, state, and private lands. We call for sustained international support, directly targeted at Brazilian agencies, to bolster fire prevention, response, and ecosystem resilience. Protecting Brazil's biomes is a global priority, requiring consistent advocacy and action that transcends political shifts.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126190

    View details for PubMedID 40516269

  • Between hype and hope: De-extinction is a tool, not a panacea for the biodiversity crisis Biological Conservation Béllo Carvalho, R. 2025; 309 (111307)

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111307

  • Frugivory by the Crab‐Eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous) and Its Seed Dispersal Potential: A Review Mammal Review Béllo Carvalho, R., Chesini Rossi, L., Pizo, M. A. 2025

    View details for DOI 10.1111/mam.70008

  • From a Brazilian lens: Reflections on Chief Raoni's visit to Stanford. Béllo Carvalho, R., Genes, L. Stanford Daily. 2024
  • Spillover of avian seed dispersers between secondary forests and degraded areas in a tropical island ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY Carvalho, R., Alves, K. F., Pizo, M. A. 2023; 121

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.actao.2023.103959

    View details for Web of Science ID 001093292300001

  • Frugivory and seed dispersal in the Cerrado: Network structure and defaunation effects BIOTROPICA Carvalho, R., Malhi, Y., Menor, I. 2023; 55 (4): 849-865

    View details for DOI 10.1111/btp.13234

    View details for Web of Science ID 000998750800001

  • Seed removal, seed dispersers, and the allocation of tissues in Myrtaceae seeds BIOTROPICA Carvalho, R., Pizo, M. A. 2023; 55 (3): 719-728

    View details for DOI 10.1111/btp.13223

    View details for Web of Science ID 000962818200001

  • Trilhas-Temáticas: Ensinando Ciências e Biologia no Jardim Zoológico de Brasília Bello Carvalho, R. Independently published. 2019
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8606-4299