Curriculum Vitae – M.E. Ocasio-Torres
CURRICULUM VITAE
Name:
María E. Ocasio-Torres
Address:
Southeast Environmental Research Center, OE-148, 11200 SW 8th Street Florida
International University Miami, Florida 33199
Telephone:
(305) 348-3095
E-mail: mocasiot@fiu.edu
Employment: Florida International University
Southeast Environmental Research Center
Postdoctoral Associate
Education:
2014-present
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras
Ph.D. Ecology and Systematics
2008-2014
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
B.Sc. Coastal Marine Biology
2002- 2007
Research Interests:
Food-webs, biological interactions, aquatic ecology, behavioral ecology.
Academic Fellowships:
2013-2014:
Golf Tournament Fellowship from the Dean of Graduate Studies and
Research
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
2010-2013:
Graduate Research Fellowship Program from the National Science
Foundation
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
2008-2010:
Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship from the Puerto Rico Louis Stokes
Alliance for Minority Participation
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
Teaching Experience:
2014:
Evolution Teaching Assistant
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
2013:
Zoology Teaching Assistant
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
Recent Research Experience:
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Curriculum Vitae – M.E. Ocasio-Torres
2014-Present: Ecological role of crayfish and shrimp in the Everglades
Postdoctoral research in Florida International University
Examine the ecological role of Procambarus spp. crayfish and Palaemonetes
paludosus grass shrimp in the Everglades.
2014-Present: Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research Program
Postdoctoral research in Florida International University
Study the effect of environmental variables, including the effect of predators, in
shrimp population dynamics, morphologies, behaviors, and ecological roles.
2009-2014:
Predation on the tropical freshwater shrimp Xiphocaris elongata: rostrum
inducibility, antipredator responses and cascade effects
PhD in University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
Study the effect of the presence of a predatory fish on the morphology,
antipredator strategies, and ecological role of the amphidromous shrimp
Xiphocaris elongata, including the possibe cascade effects
2012:
Branching angles reflect a tradeoff between reducing trail maintenance costs
or travel distances in leaf-cutting ants
Organization for Tropical Studies
Study of the adaptive nature of branching angles in foraging trail networks of the
two most abundant tropical leaf-cutting ant species.
2008-2010:
Global warming and Caribbean coral reefs collapse: The case of star corals
(Montastraea annularis and M. faveolata) in Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus
A long-term monitoring project to address the ecological fate of surviving tissue
of physiological fragments of M. annularis and M. faveolata after a massive
bleaching event in four coral reefs in Culebra Island, PR. Changes in percent
living tissue cover of corals over time, estimation of the colony area size and
determination of fragment abundance are determined.
2006-2007:
Behavior of migrating birds in the Humacao Wildlife Refuge
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Determine the relation of the behavior of migratory birds to environmental
factors of the Lagoons of Humacao.
2006:
“Time Budgets” of the Puerto Rican plain pigeon (Columba inornata
wetmorei) and the scaly-naped pigeon (Columba squamosa)
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Behavior comparison between the pigeons in the years 2005 and 2006.
2006:
Learning behavior of the fish Tautogolabrus adspersus in response to the
defense mechanisms of the aeolid nudibranch Flabellina verrucosa
REU in Shoals Marine Laboratory-Maine, USA
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Curriculum Vitae – M.E. Ocasio-Torres
Laboratory experiments on the antipredator strategies of the nudibranch
Flabellina verrucosa against visual predators.
2005:
Color preference in food of the Puerto Rican plain pigeon (Columba inornata
wetmorei) and the scaly-naped pigeon (Columba squamosa)
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Behavioral observations of the color preference in food of these endangered
species.
2005:
Role of predators in structuring shrimp communities in Puerto Rico
REU in El Verde Field Station-Río Grande, PR
Determine the effect of predator presence in shrimp abundance and community
composition in two streams of Puerto Rico.
Morphology of the Uca spp. in the Jobos Bay Reserve
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Determine the morphological differences of the different species of Uca spp. in
Bosque Aguirre.
2005:
2004:
Spatial and temporal patterns in the regeneration of the mangrove of Bosque
Aguirre after hurricane Georges
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Comparison of mangrove communities before and after hurricane Georges.
2004:
Dispersion pattern of Tectarius Muricatus in the rocky beach Los Lirios at
Fajardo, Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Determine the dispersion pattern of the snail Tectarius Muricatus.
Publications:
Ocasio-Torres M.E., T.A Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2015 (Submitted). Allometric differences
between two phenotypes of the amphidromous shrimp Xiphocaris elongata.
Journal of Crustacean Biology.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., T.A Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2015 (Submitted). Predatory fish causes topdown trophic cascades on the amphidromous shrimp Xiphocaris elongata.
Freshwater Biology.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., T. Giray, T.A Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2015. Antipredator defense mechanism
in the amphidromous shrimp Xiphocaris elongata: rostrum length. Journal of
Natural History. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2015.1005716.
Farji-Brener A.G., F. Chinchilla, M.N. Umaña, M.E. Ocasio-Torres, A. Chauta-Mellizo, D.
Acosta-Rojas, S. Marinaro , M. de Torres Curth & S. Amador-Vargas. 2015.
Branching angles reflect a tradeoff between reducing trail maintenance costs or
travel distances in leaf-cutting ants. Ecology 96: 510-517.
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Curriculum Vitae – M.E. Ocasio-Torres
Ocasio-Torres M.E., T.A Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2014. Long rostrum in an amphidromous shrimp
induced by chemical signals from a predatory fish. Freshwater Science 33: 451458.
Penney, B. K., L. H. LaPlante, J. R. Friedman, & M. Ocasio-Torres. 2010. A noninvasive
method to remove kleptocnidae for testing their role in defence. Journal of
Molluscan Studies 76:296-298.
Poster presentations:
Ocasio-Torres M.E. T.A. Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2014. The effect of predator presence and shrimp
phenotype on leaf decomposition by the amphidromous shrimp Xiphocaris
elongata. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. T.A. Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2014. Hydrodynamic and morphological
differences between two phenotypes of the amphidromous shrimp Xiphocaris
elongata. PRISM-Junior Technical Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. T.A. Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2014. Inducible long rostrum in an
amphidromous shrimp triggered by chemical signals from a predatory fish.
Predator-Prey Interactions Conference: a Gordon Research Conference.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. T.A. Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2013. Long rostrum as a predator-induced
defense in an amphidromous shrimp. PRISM-Junior Technical Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. 2011. Morphological defenses in the amphidromous shrimp Xiphocaris
elongata. The Crustacean Society Summer Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. 2011. Predation on the tropical freshwater shrimp Xiphocaris elongata:
antipredator responses and cascade effects. American Society of Limnology and
Oceanography Aquatic Sciences Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E, T. Giray & A. Sabat. 2010. Long rostrum as a defense mechanism for
Xiphocaris elongata. ASLO/NABS 2010 Joint Summer Meeting.
Hernández-Pacheco, R., M. Ocasio-Torres, T. Ruiz, J. Oms-Hernandez, & E.A. HernándezDelgado. 2009. Star coral (Montastraea annularis spp. complex) population
collapse: An unequivocal sign of climate change impacts in Caribbean coral reefs.
External Scientific Advisory Committee Symposium.
Hernández-Pacheco R., T. Ruiz, M. Ocasio, & E.A. Hernández-Delgado. 2009. Ecological
impacts of the 2006 post-bleaching mass mortality event on star corals
Montastraea annularis and M. faveolata in Culebra Island, PR. NOAA CRES
Symposium.
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Curriculum Vitae – M.E. Ocasio-Torres
Hernández-Pacheco R., T. Ruiz, M. Ocasio, & E.A. Hernández-Delgado. 2009. Ecological
impacts of the 2006 post-bleaching mass mortality event on star corals
Montastraea annularis and M. faveolata in Culebra Island, PR. Joint Annual
Meeting (JAM/NSF).
Ocasio-Torres M.E., B. K. Penney, L. H. LaPlante & J. R. Friedman. 2009. The relative role of
nematocysts in nudibranch defense. PRISM-Junior Technical Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. & Iris Velázquez. 2007. Preliminary Observations of the Behavior of
Aquatic Birds in the Lagoons of Humacao. Research Day: Research as a tool of
Economic Development.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., B. K. Penney, L. H. LaPlante & J. R. Friedman. 2007. Learning behavior of
Tautogolabrus adspersus in response to the defense mechanisms of Flabellina
verrucosa. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Aquatic Sciences
Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., B. K. Penney, L. H. LaPlante & J. R. Friedman. 2006. Learning behavior of
Tautogolabrus adspersus in response to the defense mechanisms of Flabellina
verrucosa. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Aquatic Sciences
Meeting. SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans
in Science) National Conference.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. & I. Velázquez. 2006. Time budgets in prolonged-captivity plain pigeons
(paloma sabanera, Patagioenas inornata wetmorei). NSF/ UMET/ MIE XVII
Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., C.L. Hein, T.A. Crowl, & P. Pepalla. 2006. The role of predators in
structuring shrimp communities in headwater streams in Puerto Rico. North
American Benthological Society Annual Meeting, Anchorage, AK.
Oral presentations:
Ocasio-Torres M.E. T.A. Crowl & A.M. Sabat. 2013. Does predator presence affect the
morphology of their prey? The case study of the amphidromous shrimp
Xiphocaris elongata. Segundo Congreso Estudiantil de Investigación Graduada
del Decanato de Estudio Graduados e Investigación de la Universidad de Puerto
Rico en Río Piedras.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. 2011. Antipredator defense mechanism in the tropical freshwater shrimp
Xiphocaris elongata: rostrum length. 2011 International Joint Meeting of the
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation & Africa Section of the
Society for Conservation Biology.
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Curriculum Vitae – M.E. Ocasio-Torres
Ocasio-Torres M.E. & I. Velázquez. 2007. Observations of the behavior of aquatic birds in the
lagoons of Humacao. UPRH-McNair Research Symposium. The Puerto Rico
Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. & I. Velázquez. 2007. Time budgets in prolonged-captivity plain pigeons
(paloma sabanera, Patagioenas inornata wetmorei). The Puerto Rico
Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. & I. Velázquez. 2006. Learning behavior of Tautogolabrus adspersus in
response to the defense mechanisms of Flabellina verrucosa. NSF/ UMET/ MIE
XVII Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Ocasio-Torres M.E. & I. Velázquez. 2006. “Time Budgets” in Puerto Rican plain pigeons
(Columba inornata wetmorei) in captivity. McNair Symposium.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., B. K. Penney & L. H. LaPlante. 2006. Learning behavior of Tautogolabrus
adspersus in response to the defense mechanisms of Flabellina verrucosa. Shoals
Marine Lab REU Symposium.
Ocasio-Torres M.E., C.L. Hein & T.A. Crowl. 2005. The Role of Predators in Structuring Shrimp
Communities in Puerto Rico. The Role of Predators in Structuring Shrimp
Communities in Puerto Rico. Annual Symposium of the Tropical Ecology and
Evolution Internship Program.
Field and laboratory training:
Electrofisher; scuba diving; GPS; secchi plate; niskin bottles; compass; YSI; Hach; TLC;
laboratory sieve; bottom samplers; dissolved oxygen meter; conductivity meter; infrared
spectrometer; transit instrument; hydrolab.
Mentoring experience:
2009-2014:
2009-2010:
Undergraduate research supervision
Graduate student mentoring for AGEP Peer-Mentoring Program
Voluntary Services:
2011-present:
2010-present:
2008-2012:
2008-present:
2010:
2009-2012:
2009:
2005:
2000-2005:
Field work on the biology and ecology of Zamia portoricensis
Sea turtle monitoring (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Visual census of herpetofauna (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Member of TICATOVE – Vieques Conservation Group
Metapopulation survey of orchids
Field work on vine collection
Promotion of Scientific Field Work to Elementary School Students
Aquarium maintenance in University of Puerto Rico - Humacao
Beach cleaning
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