Sónia Alexandra Paiva Santos

Research CenterResilienceMARE

Biography

Sónia A.P. Santos holds a PhD in Biology and she is an Assistant Professor at Barreiro School of Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, Portugal. She has coordinated 4 research projects and has integrated several research projects. Specific research interests include:

  • Integrating generalist predators within sustainable farming systems.
  • Relationships between key life-history traits of arthropods, predator feeding ecology, resource acquisition strategy (feeding habit), nutritional physiology and life-span of coccinellids, syrphids and neuropterans.
  • Understanding how food quality and plant characteristics influence the behavior of predators.
  • Conserving generalist predator communities in cropland using plant diversity.
  • Unraveling complex trophic interactions within soil and canopy food webs, and encouraging predation on pests in sustainable agro-ecosystems.
  • The influence of natural enemies on prey dynamics.
  • Side-effect of pesticides.
  • Evaluating interactions between climate change and agricultural practices on soil communities and service provisioning.