DPhil. Student

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Juan Carlos with a ruddy kingfisher

Juan Carlos Gonzalez

Details

Name: Juan Carlos Gonzalez
Position: DPhil. Student
Email: jctgonzalez@yahoo.com

Autobiography

I graduated from the University of the Philippines Los Baņos (UPLB) with a BSc (1992) and an MSc (1997) in Zoology. My thesis work investigated avian diversity across habitat gradients on the Philippine islands of Mindoro and Polillo. Since then, I have taught Ornithology and Wildlife Biology as an Assistant Professor at the Animal Biology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB, and conducted research on avian diversity and distribution throughout the Philippines as a Curator for birds at the UPLB Museum of Natural History. I have also completed several training courses under the Smithsonian Institution, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the East-West Center, and undertaken collaborative projects with the Darwin Initiative, North of England Zoological Society, Fauna & Flora International, Oriental Bird Club, Vogelpark Avifauna, Dallas Zoo and Oklahoma City Zoo. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a studentship under the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program, and from October 2008 onwards I will take leave from UPLB to pursue studies of Philippine hornbills as a D.Phil. student at the EGI, under the supervision of Prof. Ben Sheldon, Dr. Joe Tobias and Dr. Nigel Collar.

Research Activities

My research aims to investigate the ecology and phylogeography of endemic Philippine hornbills in the genera Bucerosand Penelopides, particularly where this sheds light on effective strategies for their conservation. One aspect of this research will focus on the use of morphometric, bioacoustic and molecular analysis as a basis to determine phylogenetic relations and species limits of island-endemic populations of two polytypic species, the Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax) and Tarictic Hornbill (Penelopides panini)."

Selected Recent Papers

Peterson, A.T., T. Brooks, A. Gamauf, J.C.T. Gonzalez, N.D. Mallari, G. Dutson, S.E. Bush, D.H. Clayton and R. Fernandez (2008) The Avifauna of Mt. Kitanglad, Bukidnon Province, Mindanao, Philippines. Fieldiana Zoology New Series No. 114: 1-43 (Publication 1548).

Ponce de Leon, M.I.A.Z., C.T. Hedreyda and J.C.T. Gonzalez (2008) Complete DNA sequence analysis of the mitochondrial 16s rRNA and cytochrome b genes of the Visayan warty pig (Sus cebifrons). Asia Life Sciences: The Asian International Journal of Life Sciences Vol.17 (No. 2) pp. 295-308.

Mamangun, A.K.M. and J.C.T. Gonzalez (2007) Impacts of Forest Fragmentation on the Density and Fruit selection of the island endemic Polillo Tarictic Hornbill (Penelopides manillae subnigra). Proceedings of the 16th Philippine Biodiversity Symposium, Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines. BANWA, U.P. Mindanao Journal Vol. 4. No. 1.

Gonzalez, J.C.T. (2006) Fragmented forests and isolated islands: status and distribution of endemic Philippine hornbills. Proceedings of the 4th International Hornbill Conference, Mabula Game Lodge, South Africa.

Allen, D., C. Espaņola, G. Broad, C. Oliveros and J.C.T. Gonzalez (2006) New bird records for the Babuyan islands, including two new records for the Philippines. Forktail 22: 57-70.