About

Alejandra Echeverri is an Assistant Professor of Conservation Science at the Rausser College of Natural Resources. Her research sits at the intersection of Neotropical ornithology, conservation psychology, environmental policy, and biocultural conservation. She integrates biological field work, such as bird surveys, with quantitative social surveys and qualitative content analysis to understand human relationships with nature. Her work specifically studies how people's behaviors towards the environment, including habitat conversion, impact species, as well as attitudes and behaviors towards biodiversity. She explores the interrelationships between nature and culture to advance biocultural conservation science. Her research is co-produced with Indigenous peoples, local communities, governments, and policymakers to co-develop and inform environmental policies.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Sociology
• Geography
• Ecology
• Environmental resource management
• Biology
• Natural resource economics
• Law
• Anthropology
• Environmental planning
• Economics
• Business

Selected publications

• Code for California Demonstration of NECTAR (Network-Enhanced Conservation Tool for Analysis and Recommendation)

  Open MIND · 2026-03-30

  otherOpen access

  No description provided.

  PublisherDOI

• Data from California Demonstration of NECTAR (Network-Enhanced Conservation Tool for Analysis and Recommendation)

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-03-30

  datasetOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Local interaction networks reconstructed from global biodiversity data improve pollinator restoration decision making

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-04-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Global pollinator declines threaten the health of ecosystems and food systems, underscoring the urgency of conservation actions such as habitat restoration. However, data gaps on plant use among pollinators continue to limit reliable design of restoration plant mixes. To address this, we present NECTAR (Network-Enhanced Conservation Tool for Analysis and Recommendation), a new modular framework that integrates multiple data modalities–including species distributions, phenometrics, and phylogenetic data–to infer flower visitation and host plant interactions from spatial, temporal, and phylogenetic overlap, generating spatially explicit plant-insect interaction networks that guide planting recommendations for pollinator habitat restoration. We demonstrate the utility of NECTAR by generating a large plant-insect metaweb across California, comprising 1,247,081 spatially explicit interactions for 5,131 pollinator species and 5,178 native plant species. Predicted networks recovered significantly more interactions than null models, demonstrating that integrating multiple ecological constraints improves interaction prediction. In realistic restoration simulations, NECTAR’s data-driven plant mix recommendations support up to 2.8 times more pollinator species compared to existing resources and random selection of plants. This optimization facilitates the inclusion of multiple goals and constraints, and provides complementary decision-making information to existing resources. NECTAR offers a scalable, evidence-based framework for translating increasingly available global biodiversity data into locally actionable restoration guidance, with broad potential to improve pollinator habitat restoration worldwide.

  PublisherDOI

• Code for California Demonstration of NECTAR (Network-Enhanced Conservation Tool for Analysis and Recommendation)

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-03-30

  otherOpen access

  No description provided.

  PublisherDOI

• SPECIES OF PASSIONATE INTEREST: Practicing Biocultural Conservation and Eco-social Transformation Together

  2026-01-27

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Species of Passionate Interest expands on the concept of the "cultural keystone species," reviewing its intellectual history and proposing future applications in the field of biodiversity conservation. The paper critiques the classic view of the "keystone" species in Western conservation science, emphasizing the need to consider the dynamic cultural context and the diversity of emotional connections humans weave with the wider ecological world. Through relating biodiversity loss to human consciousness and the possibility of social transformation by way of "ecosophy," the paper emphasizes the importance of future-oriented approaches that go beyond preservation towards creating new eco-social cultural formations altogether. “Species of passionate interest,” whether the result of sustenance, ritual, sport, admiration, conflict or economic promise, are found across all cultures and are exceedingly consequential for the ways we hope to understand how different cultural contexts might more ethically relate to one another. As such, the lens offered to conservation praxis by species of passionate interest might just provide the inspiration for developing more flexible and creative conservation practices, ones which combine biocultural conservation and eco-social transformation together.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A systematic map of methods for assessing societal benefits of Earth science information

  Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park) · 2026-02-10

  articleOpen access

  Remotely sensed Earth science information (ESI) has become increasingly central to addressing global challenges, yet its societal value, i.e., the difference ESI makes in real-world decisions and outcomes, is rarely quantified. In this study, we systematically map peer-reviewed literature that explicitly assesses the societal value of ESI across instrumental, intrinsic, and relational value types, and the diversity of approaches used to assess those values. Drawing from 13,823 publications across Scopus, Web of Science, and a curated library of ESI valuation studies, we identify 171 studies that applied ESI in a decision context and used a valuation method to compare outcomes with and without ESI. The majority of these studies employed decision analysis methods (e.g., Value of Information, Cost–Benefit Analysis), focusing primarily on quantitative instrumental values (e.g., profit, crop yield, lives saved), particularly in agricultural contexts. A smaller set of studies applied preference elicitation methods (e.g., stated preference, surveys, interviews, focus groups) to capture qualitative benefits and relational values including quality of life improvements, empowerment, and procedural justice. Many excluded studies demonstrated scientific value of ESI but did not explicitly translate that into societal value, revealing the need for a more systematic approach to ESI valuation. By promoting a more inclusive, interdisciplinary, and flexible portfolio of valuation methods, we aim to expand our understanding of the societal benefits of ESI to help guide investment in future missions, enhance public support, and ensure that science and policy goals are well aligned.

  PublisherDOI

• A systematic map of methods for assessing societal benefits of Earth science information

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2026-02-06

  articleOpen access

  Remotely sensed Earth science information (ESI) has become increasingly central to addressing global challenges, yet its societal value, i.e., the difference ESI makes in real-world decisions and outcomes, is rarely quantified. In this study, we systematically map peer-reviewed literature that explicitly assesses the societal value of ESI across instrumental, intrinsic, and relational value types, and the diversity of approaches used to assess those values. Drawing from 13,823 publications across Scopus, Web of Science, and a curated library of ESI valuation studies, we identify 171 studies that applied ESI in a decision context and used a valuation method to compare outcomes with and without ESI. The majority of these studies employed decision analysis methods (e.g., Value of Information, Cost-Benefit Analysis), focusing primarily on quantitative instrumental values (e.g., profit, crop yield, lives saved), particularly in agricultural contexts. A smaller set of studies applied preference elicitation methods (e.g., stated preference, surveys, interviews, focus groups) to capture qualitative benefits and relational values including quality of life improvements, empowerment, and procedural justice. Many excluded studies demonstrated scientific value of ESI but did not explicitly translate that into societal value, revealing the need for a more systematic approach to ESI valuation. By promoting a more inclusive, interdisciplinary, and flexible portfolio of valuation methods, we aim to expand our understanding of the societal benefits of ESI to help guide investment in future missions, enhance public support, and ensure that science and policy goals are well aligned.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Data from California Demonstration of NECTAR (Network-Enhanced Conservation Tool for Analysis and Recommendation)

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-03-30

  datasetOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Insects are underrepresented across red lists of threatened biodiversity in the Neotropics

  Biological Conservation · 2025-12-02

  articleOpen access

  Insects are critical to the sustainability and productivity of ecosystems worldwide, yet up to 40 % of insects may face extinction in coming decades. Globally, Brazil is a major producer of agricultural commodities, but we lack robust studies to investigate policy gaps and biases that may threaten the sustainability of insect ecosystem services in this biodiversity-rich region. Our previous work in the UK and Ireland showed that conservation policies informed by species' red lists consistently underrepresent insect biodiversity. However, we still do not know whether similar patterns are present in biodiversity hotspots like Brazil, that rely proportionally more on insect ecosystem services for socioeconomic wealth. Here, we analyzed Brazil's three major red lists which influence national conservation policies: the IUCN Red List (2024), the Ministry of the Environment's official list (2022), and the Chico Mendes Institute's Red Book (2018). Nearly all insect orders are significantly underrepresented, except for Odonata. In contrast, vertebrate groups are consistently well-represented, underscoring a taxon-specific disparity rather than inherent limitations among all three lists. These findings highlight a key barrier to insect conservation in Brazil, where conservation biases threaten not only local biodiversity but also global food security. We argue for better methodologies and funding for more robust biodiversity assessments in underrepresented regions, such as Brazil. This is crucial for strengthening conservation policies to safeguard both ecological and socioeconomic systems against mounting anthropogenic pressures. • Brazil is arguably the most biodiverse country in the world. • Red lists underpin conservation actions. • Insects are significantly underrepresented in all three red lists underpinning conservation. • Paleopterans are the only insects well-represented. • This likely represent a global gap in red lists and conservation actions.

  PublisherDOI

• Biocultural vulnerability of traditional crops in the Indian Trans-Himalaya

  Science Advances · 2025-08-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Traditional agricultural landscapes are vital reservoirs of biocultural heritage and agrobiodiversity, yet traditional farming systems and their unique crop landraces face increasing marginalization and genetic erosion. Using northwest Himalaya as a case study, we examine the ecological resilience and genetic diversity of an understudied traditional crop, black pea (scientific name unclear), alongside barley ( Hordeum vulgare ), and compare them to the introduced cash crop, green pea ( Pisum sativum L. ). Participatory field experiments with local farmers revealed that traditional crops outperform introduced varieties in survival and reproduction traits across sites. To our knowledge, we generate the first whole-genome sequencing data for black peas. Clustering and nutritional analyses highlight black pea’s genetic richness and dietary potential. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge with ecological science to sustain agrobiodiversity, enhance climate resilience, and promote sustainable food systems. We provide insights for global agrifood innovations and socioecological stability in fragile mountain ecosystems.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Daniel S. Karp

  University of California, Davis

  16 shared

• Kai M. A. Chan

  University of British Columbia

  13 shared

• Federico Andrade‐Rivas

  University of Victoria

  12 shared

• Gretchen C. Daily

  12 shared

• Jiaying Zhao

  10 shared

• Robin Naidoo

  WWF Colombia

  10 shared

• Kelley E. Langhans

  Virginia Tech

  9 shared

• Luke O. Frishkoff

  The University of Texas at Arlington

  9 shared

Education

• PhD in Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability

  The University of British Columbia

  2019

• Master of Science in Resource Management and Environmental Studies, Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability

  University of British Columbia

  2015

• BSc Biology, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas

  Universidad de Los Andes

  2012

Awards & honors

• CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar (2024)
• Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award Nominee (2021)
• Stanford Postdoc JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion…
• Freda Pagani Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation (20…
• Raja Rosenbluth Award for Women in Biological Sciences (2018…