McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Brian Leung
Start: 2026-09-01
End: 2030-09-01

Project

Ecological Drivers of Blue Carbon Dynamics and Ecosystem Services in Tropical Coastal Systems
This PhD research aims to investigate how ecological and environmental processes influence blue carbon dynamics and ecosystem services in tropical coastal marine systems, with a particular focus on Panama and Costa Rica. The project will explore the relationships between coastal habitats, carbon storage and sequestration potential, and environmental drivers such as ocean circulation, upwelling, and productivity. Particular attention will be given to the role of macroalgae in coastal carbon cycling, including natural populations and the potential contributions of seaweed aquaculture and restoration. By integrating ecological data, spatial analyses, and field-based approaches, the research seeks to better understand how coastal ecosystems contribute to carbon dynamics and other ecosystem services, including biodiversity support and ecological connectivity. Ultimately, the project aims to generate knowledge that can inform marine conservation, sustainable management, and nature-based solutions.

Keywords

Blue carbon , Macroalgae, Seaweed aquaculture, ecosystem services

Publications

1- Integrative Approach to Species Delimitation in Sargassum (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) from Central American Pacific Based on Morphological and Genetic Evidence
Viales-Cubillo, Mariana, Fabio Quesada-Perez, Paola Díaz-Canales, Kaylen González-Sánchez, Cindy Fernández-García
2025 Diversity

2- Fatal bird-window collisions in an urban area of Costa Rica during the autumn migrations of 2018 and 2019
Gutiérrez-Vargas, Ignacio, Ariana Mora-Ceciliano, Evelyn Pérez-Rodríguez, Tatiana Rodríguez-Víquez, Felipe Triana-Rincón, Mariana Viales-Cubillo, Elena Solís-Sánchez, María Jesús Picado-Martínez, María José Carvajal-Madrigal, Sofía Lara-Guerrero, Luis Sandoval
2026 The Wilson Journal of Ornithology