https://ryanjalmeida.com/home daily 0.75 2020-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1588532945485-MJ3AO4ZH463MJL1FTN2B/RJA_RutgersPic.jpg Home - About Me I am a Ph.D. student working in the Lockwood Lab at Rutgers University. I’m broadly interested in applying principles of ecological theory to address modern and interdisciplinary questions about biodiversity. My work spans a variety of taxa and encompasses modeling, experimental, and observational approaches. Since starting my Ph.D., my research has been primarily focused on wildlife trade. Currently, I am investigating the ecological and socioeconomic factors driving the over-exploitation of rare and valuable species, such as pangolins, chameleons, and Indonesian songbirds. https://ryanjalmeida.com/research daily 0.75 2025-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1695399941297-M3GQ037F8DUK2HCCS1IP/image-asset.jpeg Research - EXOTIC REPTILE & AMPHIBIAN TRADE Reptiles and amphibians make popular pets! My research group explores drivers of sustainability in the exotic pet trade, with a focus on reptile and amphibian trade in the northeastern United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/7e285636-b479-4f06-a6e0-c384bb739b72/unsplash-image-Ho4SJkE6YLI.jpg Research - ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS OF OVEREXPLOITATION Species are not affected equally by human-caused threats, with extinction risk depending on ecological traits such as diet specificity, abundance, and life-history strategy. In the case of commercial wildlife harvest, however, extinction risk can also be driven by traits that are desired by consumers, such as attractive coloration, unique morphological characteristics, or rarity. Importantly, species traits are often clustered within taxonomic groups, meaning consumer demand for certain morphological traits can result in incidental demand for ecological traits, threatening the functioning of ecosystems. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1588552994107-PQJ0BPNL27PXJMTS23BN/800px-Philippine_Pangolin_Curled-up_by_Gregg_Yan.jpg Research - RARITY VALUE & OVEREXPLOITATION Between unsustainable harvest, the transport of invasive species, and the spread of novel pathogens, wildlife trade is a threat to thousands of species worldwide. At particular risk are rare species for which demand is high; examples include elephant tusks for the ivory trade, pangolin scales, and sturgeon eggs. I use big data and mathematical modeling techniques to improve our ability to identify the key biological and socio-economic factors that cause trade to drive species to the brink of extinction. https://ryanjalmeida.com/contact daily 0.75 2024-06-04 https://ryanjalmeida.com/home-1 daily 1.0 2024-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/cef28fe6-c0fb-4e47-9d75-9ad7b7318ae1/RJA_lisbonpic.JPG Home - About Me I am an assistant teaching professor at Villanova University. As a conservation ecologist, I’m broadly interested in applying principles of ecological theory to address pressing questions about biodiversity loss and species conservation. My work spans a variety of taxa and encompasses modeling, experimental, and observational approaches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/74e37033-9a7a-43d1-b836-73dfc874a551/Fig1_PAN.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/13d12f5b-69d1-41da-b4ce-135052629340/Graphical_Abstract.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/45b45d0c-83f4-4758-9545-5c98f68e02f0/Villanova_Wildcats_logo.svg.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/29423ca2-f50d-4dbb-aaa0-ed961fe3e70b/84300550_1387849738088991_7610921343364342523_n.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/a6f512b0-e1b5-48c9-bc2c-9aed15145c9a/south_mountain_trees.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/d24d82bc-3d3a-4f32-bdd0-1639c79dcd81/solidago_clip.JPG Home https://ryanjalmeida.com/publications daily 0.75 2025-08-19 https://ryanjalmeida.com/teaching daily 0.75 2024-05-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1695403403019-9GSSP7ZDYR9HQYXKBZ52/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1692885097663-VAQCYCX0VTZZBKJ2PMKD/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1692885041522-50CKY49P3CUOSVXBTVLC/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1692884970362-M7XVVOZ5K8H5KOO5RR47/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eadbf0bb30d914a1f618d50/1695403620034-4TDRAB8N5K79ASN8IL7H/image-asset.jpeg