Maricela De la Torre Castro Professor of Natural Resource Management
Contact
Name and title: Maricela De la Torre CastroProfessor of Natural Resource Management
ORCID0000-0002-6990-6682 Länk till annan webbplats.
Workplace: Department of Physical Geography Länk till annan webbplats.
Visiting address Room T408Svante Arrhenius väg 8
Postal address Inst för naturgeografi 106 91 Stockholm
About me
My research is about coastal and ocean governance.
I am intersted in human-nature interactions in marine environments and work using a coupled view of humans embedded in nature (SES). Originally an oceanologist, I cooperate with social scientists to adress core sustainability challenges; such as the sustainable use of marine resources and the governance of those. I am interested in the themes of governance and management with special attention to institutional dynamics. I also deal with seagrass and seascape management and general marine conservation. In my research I use hybrid methods to address the complexity of the above themes. Empirically, I work with seagrasses as an important example of an understudied marine social-ecological system. My projects have focused on seagrasses' ecosystem goods and services; seascapes in development tropical countries; gender in coastal areas, adaptive capacity and gender in coastal management (mainly within MPAs marine protected areas).
Key words: Coastal zone management and governance, seagrass ecology and societal importance, social-ecological systems, sustainable development in coastal communities, seascape governance & management, small-scale fisheries, institutional dynamics, poverty and gender.
Themes of my present projects:- Gender in coastal environments (Climate change, resource use, conservation, MPAs)
- Seagrass ecology and societal importance
- Ecosystem goods and services in tropical seascapes
- Small-scale fisheries social-ecological dynamics
- High value marine products such as sea-cucumbers
- Seascape management and governance
Education and academic positions:
BSc. Oceanology Honors (Universidad Autonoma de Baja California)
MSc. Natural Resurce Management (Stockholm University)
PhD. Natural Resurce Management (Stockholm University)
Docent/Associate professor. Natural Resurce Management (Stockholm University, 2012)
Professor in Natural Resource Management (Stockholm University, 2020)
Long term visiting scientist: UDSM, University of Dar es Salaam, Institute of Marine Sciences IMS
Vision:
A world in which natural values are recognized and protected for the benefit of humanity and other species.
A world in which science provides robust data and analysis as an input for positive societal development.
A world that really cares about the future generations.
Teach in the following courses/programs:
Landscape Ecology
- Environmental Management Studies for BIOGEO
- Management of Ecosystem Services. HSU program.
- Climate and Society, SU.
I have wide experience with both masters and doctoral student supervision. If you are interested in some of my research please contact me!
With opportunities for masters, internships, and others....
NEW FINANCED PROJECT!
Social-ecological analysis of gendered effects of Marine Protected Areas - SEAgender. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). Principal Investigator. Vetenskapsrådet, VR. (starting 2019).
1. Gender, fishing communities and adaptive capacity to climate change in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Inhaca Mozambique. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). Principal Investigator.
Vetenskapsrådet, VR. (closing Dec 2018).
2. WATERMAS: Water Management and Climate Change in the Focus of International Master Programs. Funded by EU, ERASMUS program. Co-applicant. (PI: Steve Lyon). (2018-2020).
3. Seagrass biodiversity, social-ecological systems and poverty alleviation: a collaborative, comparative study in the Indo-Pacific.Funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). Co-applicant (PI: Johan Eklöf). (2018-2020).
4. Establishing an Indo-Pacific Seagrass Network (IPSN) to assess linkages among marine biodiversity, ecosystem services and poverty. Funded by the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). Collaborator (PI: Lina Mtwana Nordlund). (2018-2020).
PREVIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS
Chwaka book design and edition (2012). Western Indian Ocean Marine Scientists Association (WIOMSA).
Driving forces behind the exploitation of sea urchins predators 2011. Results dissemination grant. Western Indian Ocean Marine Scientists Association (WIOMSA).
Fighting with big issues: Adaptive capacity of the poor to global climate change. Sida financed project. 2009. Planning grant.
Conservation and poverty reduction in East Africa: women’s role in coastal livelihoods. Sida financed project (2009-2011).
Opening windows and closing doors –Poverty reduction strategies in coastal communities in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Sida financed project (2007-2009).
The role of seagrasses for coastal communities: Ecological, economical and institutional aspects in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Sida financed project for doctoral research (2003-2007).
Seagrass beds in the islands from WIO: biodiversity resources. Main cooperation with Reunion University. Funded by IFB/CNRS/IRD. 200,000 Euro. Awarded as a group. Project leader P. Frouin (Reunion University), Investigators: M. de la Torre-Castro, Bourmaud, AFC., Hily, C., Bigot L., Pothin C., Gilbert D., et al.
Seagrass and sea urchin interactions overgrazing and resource use in the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIO) (2007-2010). Western Indian Ocean Marine Scientists Association (WIOMSA). 100,000 USD. Awarded as a group. Project leader J. Uku (Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute KMFRI), Investigators: M. de la Torre-Castro, Bandeira S., Lyimo T., Eklöf J. Gullström M. and M. Björk.
Sea cucumbers, a poorly understood but important coastal resource: national and regional analyses to improve management in the WIO. Marine Science for Management (MASMA) and Western Indian Ocean Marine Scientists Association (WIOMSA). Awarded as a group. Project leader: N. Muthiga (Kenya Wildlife Service) and C. Conand (Reunion University). Main investigators: M. De la Torre-Castro, Y. Mgaya, P. Frouin, J. Ochiewo, et al. Finished 2009.
Sustainable management and valuation of seagrass ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean. Marine Science for Management (MASMA) and Western Indian Ocean Marine Scientists Association (WIOMSA). Awarded as a group. Project leader Bandeira S (Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique), Main investigators: M. de la Torre-Castro, Lyimo T., M. Björk. Finished 2004.
Hampus Eriksson. Managing sea cucumber fisheries and aquaculture - Studies of social-ecological systems in the Western Indian Ocean. (Defended 2012).
Sara Fröcklin. Women in the seascape - Gender, livelihoods, and management of coastal and marine resources in Zanzibar, East Africa. (Defended 2014).
Sieglind Wallner. Fishing for sustainability: Towards transformation of seagrass-associated small-scale fisheries. (Defended 2017).
Benjamin Jones. Linkages between biota, biodiversity and food security: a study of seagrass meadows and their associated fisheries in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. DEEP. (On-going, started 2018/ Assistant supervisor)
Felicity Pike. Working within the SEAgender project. Gendered effects of MPAs. (On-going, started Jan 2019/ Main supervisor)
Forskningsprojekt