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About Abigail Derby Abigail received her Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from Stony Brook University, NY in 2008. Her research focuses on community and behavioral ecology, conservation biology, land use practices and resource management. Abigail has a broad and diverse background that includes teaching, research and training in the following areas: environmental studies, human-natural interactions, evolutionary ecology, population genetics, plant nutritional analysis, rapid inventory assessments, and community grass roots initiatives. General Research Interest Abigail’s experience living and working in some of the most biodiverse, and threatened, regions in the world fostered a profound and personal interest for her to become involved in applied research initiatives that can contribute to environmental policy in a meaningful way. She is concerned not only with working towards habitat sustainability and wildlife preservation, but also working with the communities of people who live in and around them. A main goal of her work is to help build and renew positive relationships between people and the environment as sustainable partnerships that communities are empowered to create and continue. |
Research Experience
During the past eight years Abigail has worked in Africa, Asia, Central and South America on numerous projects that provided extensive training in field methodology, project management and exposure to a wide range of research and conservation initiatives. This background greatly influenced her desire to 1.) develop research questions which study community ecology from a comparative perspective and 2.) design projects with strong local participant involvement and resource management policy application.
Her dissertation research focused on using a multivariate approach to investigate the interrelationships between habitat ecology, primate behavior and demographic structure in two regions of Western Amazonia in order to gain a more complete understanding of the complex processes that affect the population density of folivorous, or leaf eating, primates. Understanding the determinants of plant and animal biomass is an important aspect of deciphering behavioral adaptation and in guiding conservation planning, both of which represent central issues to her as a scientist. Additionally, Abigail worked closely with the indigenous Waorani communities to evaluate the effects and sustainability of their recently shifted hunting practices on the primate populations.
Conservation Involvement
One the most rewarding activities of Abigail’s field work was the Waorani Community Project. During 2004-2005 she worked closely with indigenous communities in Yasuní on aspects of sustainable hunting practices within the context of a changing environment. Abigail held monthly meetings with community members which were aimed at sharing information and promoting understanding of the on-going research projects in their area as well as introducing basic forest ecology and sustainable use concepts. She is a board member of the Scientists Concerned for Yasuní, a forum created to allow scientists working on all aspects of biodiversity in Ecuadorian Amazon to contribute to conservation management planning. The board works diligently to create increased awareness of the issues currently facing this region, including illegal logging, unsustainable hunting practices, and crude oil exportation, and have recently succeeded in their efforts to prevent construction of a new road into Yasuní N.P.
