Javier Lenzi
Biologist
I conduct research on the impacts of human activities on the environment
-
Ph.D. Ecological Sciences and Engineering - Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
-
M.Sc. Biological Sciences / Ecology - Universidad de la República / PEDECIBA Program, Uruguay
-
Br. Biological Sciences - Universidad de la República, Uruguay
MY RESEARCH
Use of drones to study and manage wildlife
- Artificial intelligence applied to drone imagery to classify and enumerate wildlife
- Behavioral responses of wildlife to drones
Plastic pollution
- Origin and fate of plastics in aquatic ecosystems of South America and Antarctica
- Plastic ingestion by wildlife
Anthropogenic food subsidies
- The impact of ingestion of refuse on the ecology of wildlife
Seabird ecology and evolution
- Reproductive ecology, trophic ecology, life histories, diversity, and distribution of seabirds
I HAVE WORKED AT
University of North Dakota
Research associate
2021-2023
Development of research projects, publications, and mentorship of graduate students. My research was oriented to the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing tools (e.g., drone imagery, telemetry) to study and manage wildlife.
Luxembourg Institute of Socio Economic Research
Research associate
2020
Project: “The role of the environment and human behavior in transmission and severity of COVID-19”. Main tasks: curation of environmental datasets, co-supervise technicians, data analysis, and writing projects, reports, and manuscripts
Department of Sociology. Universidad de Chile
Research associate
2020
Project “Socio-technical model to assess high levels of contamination from fragmented information.” I coordinated a collaboration between Universidad de Chile and the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research – LISER. I conducted research in the exposure of kids to air pollution, and to study the contribution of mining operations to air pollution in Chile.
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
Research assistant
2016-2017
Project “Tipping Points and Indicators: Engaging Great Lakes Communities to Develop Tipping Point Action Plans” (https://tippingpointplanner.org),
quantifying and Characterizing the natural and cultural soundscapes of the north-central interior of the United States. Main tasks: field measurements of soundscapes, noise levels, land use and weather variables, develop workshops, analyze data, writing reports, extension publications and translations.
National Directorate of Aquatic Resources of Uruguay (DINARA-MGAP)
Research technician
2014
I characterized the diversity of marine top predators in a sector of the South-west Atlantic Ocean. Tasks included: on-board surveys of seabirds, marine turtles and marine mammals’ assemblages using transects and point counts methods, analyze data, and writing reports
Espacio Interdisciplinario and School of Sciences Universidad de la República
Research assistant
2012
Project “Putting into operation a Virtual Learning Environment for the Human Biology degree". I implemented a virtual environment to promote academic and teaching connections and exchange between professors from five schools, 200 students, and administrative staff through Moodle (http://eva.universidad.edu.uy)
School of Sciences Universidad de la República
Research assistant
2010 - 2011
Developed and leader of the project “Variation patterns in Life-history strategies of Larus Gulls in America”. My work consisted in analyzing how Natural Selection may be generating the biological diversity in gulls. Part of the results of this project were used to do my MSc. thesis.
BirdLife International - Aves Uruguay
Scientific consultant
2007
BirdLife’s Important Birds Areas Program (IBA). This program consists in identifying, monitoring, and protecting a global network of sites relevant for birds and other biodiversity. I systematized information about bird distribution and abundance in the IBAs’ proposed for Uruguay, include this information in a global database, and reporting.
Centro de Humedales Rio Cruces, Universidad Austral de Chile
Research associate
2020
We evaluated the relationship between body condition, hematological and blood biochemical parameters of the Black-necked swan before, during and after a major disturbance in a system of wetlands in southern Chile
Department of Sociology. Universidad de Chile
Research associate
2018-2019
Project “Ecological modernization in Chile: The Chilean modernizing route in the context of economies based on extractive industries: towards the construction of a model for comparative analysis.” I suported research in socio-environmental conflicts between the mining industry and local communities in Chile.
Entomology Department, Purdue University
Research assistant
2016
My work consisted in collecting and counting Varroa mites to select for higher mite-grooming behavior in bees adapted to northern winters. This extension project is being developed in collaboration with Indiana beekeepers
National Directorate of Aquatic Resources of Uruguay (DINARA-MGAP)
Research consultant
2013
I characterized the diversity of marine top predators in a coastal - marine region where the construction of a deep water port was projected in the Atlantic coast of Uruguay. Tasks included on-board surveys of seabirds, marine turtles, and marine mammals using transects and point counts methods, literature review, consulting to specialists, data analysis, and writing reports
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Editor
2012
Project (GCP/URU/030/GFF) “Piloting of an Ecosystem-based Approach to Living Aquatic Resources Management of the artisanal fisheries in Uruguay, and biodiversity conservation in the context of an Ecosystem-based Fishery Management This I assisted in the edition of the available information, publication of bulletins and control the editorial processes
National Directorate of Aquatic Resources of Uruguay (DINARA-MGAP)
Scientific observer
2008 - 2009
I collected information of the retained and discarded fish by commercial fisheries in Uruguay. Tasks also involved quantification of interactions of seabirds with the fishing gear, processing biological samples from the bycatch of marine mammals, marine turtles, and seabirds, and revive the bycatch live individuals
Asociacion Averaves - Investigación y Conservacón
Project coordinator
2005-2010
Project. Isla Verde, the only nesting site for breeding of Royal Tern and Cayenne Tern in Uruguay ".I organized the fundraising, field-working, data analysis, writing reports and scientific articles, coordinate education and popular science activities, coordinate human resources, among other management tasks.
PUBLICATIONS
Exploring the recovery of a large wetland 16 years after a pollution-induced disturbance using black-necked swan blood parameters and body condition
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 19(3): 663-675, 2023
Ignacio Rodríguez-Jorquera, Javier Lenzi, Jorge Ruiz, Juan Navedo.
Artificial intelligence for automated detection of large mammals creates path to upscale drone surveys
Scientific Reports 13, Article number: 947, 2023.
Javier Lenzi, Andrew F. Barnas, Ahmed A. ElSaid, Travis Desell, Robert F Rockwell, Susan Ellis-Felege
Diet and debris ingestion of skuas on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica
Marine Pollution Bulletin 185: 114211, 2022
Javier Lenzi, Fiorella Bresesti, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Barbara De Feo, Evelyn Krojmal,Gissell Lacerot, Christina Braun, Franco Teixeira de Mello
Drones 6: 136, 2022.
Javier Lenzi, Christopher J. Felege, Robert Newman, Blake McCann, Susan N. Ellis-Felege
Marine Pollution Bulletin 173: 113000, 2021
Javier Lenzi, Iván González-Bergonzoni, Elizabeth Flaherty, Daniel Hernández, Emanuel Machín, Bryan Pijanowski
COVID-19 in Europe: Dataset at a sub-national level
Data in Brief 35: 106939, 2021
Hichem Omrani, Madalina Modroiu, Javier Lenzi, Bilel Omrani, Zied Said, Marc Suhrcke, Anastase Tchicaya, Nhien Nguyen, Benoit Parmentier
Waterbirds 43(1): 65-74, 2020
María Fernanda Burgues, Javier Lenzi, Emanuel Machín, Lucía Genta, Franco Teixeira de Mello
A country's response to tackling plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems: the Chilean way
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 1–22. 2020
Mauricio Urbina, Guillermo Luna‐Jorquera, Martin Thiel, ... Javier Lenzi, et al.
The impact of anthropogenic food subsidies on a generalist seabird during nestling growth
Science of the Total Environment 687: 546–553. 2019
Javier Lenzi, Iván González-Bergonzoni, Emanuel Machín, Bryan Pijanowski, Elizabeth Flaherty
Plastic ingestion by a generalist seabird on the coast of Uruguay
Marine Pollution Bulletin. 107: 71-76. 2016
Javier Lenzi, María Fernanda Burgues, Daniel Carrizo, Emanuel Machín, Franco Teixeira de Mello
Waterbirds 39: 114-135. 2016
Pablo Yorio, Joaquim Olinto Branco, Javier Lenzi, Guillermo Luna-Jorquera, Carlos Zavalaga.
Management and research on plastic debris in Uruguayan aquatic systems: update and perspectives
Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management 15(3): 377-393. 2015
Juan Pablo Lozoya, Alvar Carranza, Javier Lenzi, Emanuel Machín, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Silvana González, Daniel Hernández, Gissell Lacerot, et al.
Floristic composition of Isla de las Gaviotas, Río de la Plata estuary, Uruguay
Check List 9(4): 763-770. 2013
Ana Clara Guido, Patricia Mai, Verónica Piñeiro, Dominique Mourelle, Mercedes Souza, Emanuel Machín, Natalia Zaldúa, Javier Lenzi
Ornitología Neotropical 21(3): 361-370. 2010
Javier Lenzi, Sebastián Jiménez, Diego Caballero-Sadi, Matilde Alfaro, Paula Laporta
En: Menafra R Rodríguez-Gallego L Scarabino F & D Conde (eds) 2006 Bases para la conservación y el manejo de la costa uruguaya. VIDA SILVESTRE URUGUAY, Montevideo. i-xiv+668pp 2006.
Joaquín Aldabe, Sebastián Jiménez, Javier Lenzi
Aves de la Costa de Montevideo Urbano: Variación Espacial y Estacional
En: Menafra R Rodríguez-Gallego L Scarabino F & D Conde (eds) 2006 Bases para la conservación y el manejo de la costa uruguaya. VIDA SILVESTRE URUGUAY, Montevideo. i-xiv+668pp. 2006.
Macarena Sarroca, Matilde Alfaro, Javier Lenzi, Sebastián Jiménez, Carolina Abud, Diego Caballero-Sadi
