Norma Salinas Revilla

Norma Salinas Revilla
Born (1967-02-07) February 7, 1967
Cusco, Peru
Academic work
DisciplineBiology
InstitutionsPontifical Catholic University of Peru
Main interestsTropical forest ecology

Norma Salinas Revilla (born February 7, 1967, Cusco) is a Peruvian biologist and professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) [1] She received a L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2016.[2] Her research in Peru contributed to the establishment of the Megantoni National Sanctuary.[3] Additionally, she co-discovered two orchid species, Maxillaria machupicchuensis Christenson & Salinas and Brachionidium machupicchuense Salinas & Christenson.[4] Her work has advanced the understanding and protection of tropical forest ecology and the impacts of global changes on Andean-Amazonian ecosystems.

Early life and education

Salinas was educated at the National University of San Antonio Abad in Cusco, where she received her Bachelor's degree in biology. She earned a Master's in Environmental Management and Development from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Costa Rica, followed by a Ph.D. in geography and the Environment from the University of Oxford, UK.[5]

Career

Salinas's research has been pivotal in the establishment of protected areas in the Amazon Rainforest and in understanding climate change's effects on tropical forests. One of her contributions led to the establishment of the Megantoni National Sanctuary in Cusco.[3][4] Moreover, she has described new species for science, including orchids like Maxillaria machupicchuensis and Brachionidium machupicchuense, showcasing her expertise in biodiversity.

At PUCP, she developed specialized research with the Institute of Nature, Earth, and Energy,[6] where she has been leading ecosystem science studies for over two decades. Her work includes the coordination of a network of plots for tree inventory in Manu National Park, which serves as a natural laboratory for studying climate change's impacts on forests. Her research includes monitoring water balances using wireless sensor networks for productivity estimations in Amazonian forests and coastal woody crops.[7] She is also part of the AndesFlux initiative,[8] a network of instrumented towers monitoring the Amazon's eastern Andes across a full latitudinal gradient, examining the region's response to climate change and deforestation. Currently, Norma is conducting a study in Manu National Park to investigate the impacts of climate change on tropical forests, aiming to better prepare for future environmental challenges.[9] In collaboration with researchers from PUCP, is conducting research at the Los Amigos Biological Station[10] in the Madre de Dios region of southeastern Peru, studying greenhouse gas fluxes to understand the impact of climate change on Amazonian ecosystems.[11]

In addition to her research and teaching roles, Norma Salinas has taken on significant advisory responsibilities in Peru. She recently assumed the position of representative for private universities on the Multisectoral Advisory Commission of the Peruvian Ministry of Environment. This role allows her to influence environmental policy and sustainability practices across the nation, further bridging the gap between academic research and governmental environmental strategies.[12]

Awards and honors

Legacy

Salinas's influence in ecological research and conservation is notable as her work has been crucial in shaping policies and conservation strategies in Peru and beyond. Her dedication to her field and impact on environmental and biodiversity conservation make her an exemplary figure in the Peruvian scientific community.[7][9]

Her scholarly output includes over 70 articles, with publications in high-impact journals such as New Phytologist, Frontiers in Plant Science, and IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing. Her studies often highlight the intricate relationships between vegetation traits and environmental gradients across the Andes-Amazon transition.[13]

Salinas was involved in the theatrical production Nuestra gran aventura en las ciencias in 2018.[14] The play, aimed at encouraging young girls to pursue careers in science, highlights influential female scientists and demonstrates the possibilities within scientific fields.

Selected publications

Salinas co-authored more than 70 publications, including:

  • The sensitivity of tropical leaf litter decomposition to temperature: results from a large‐scale leaf translocation experiment along an elevation gradient in Peruvian forests. (2011). N Salinas, Y Malhi, P Meir, M Silman, R Roman Cuesta, J Huaman, D Salinas, V Huaman, A Gibaja, M Mamani, F Farfan. New phytologist 189 (4), 967-977.
  • Tropical montane forests in a changing environment. (2021). N Salinas, EG Cosio, M Silman, P Meir, AT Nottingham, Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta, Yadvinder Malhi. Frontiers in Plant Science 12, 712748.
  • Calibration of the SMAP soil moisture retrieval algorithm to reduce bias over the Amazon rainforest. (2024). K Cho, R Negrón-Juárez, A Colliander, EG Cosio, N Salinas, A de Araujo, Jefferey Q Chambers, Jingfeng Wang. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing.

References

  1. ^ "Científicas peruanas: Norma Salinas Revilla, la bióloga de los bosques tropicales". El Comercio (in Spanish). 2020-03-01. ISSN 1605-3052. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  2. ^ a b "Norma Salinas, investigadora de INTE-PUCP, fue reconocida como científica de éxito por la Fundación L'Oreal, UNESCO y CONCYTEC". Instituto de la Naturaleza, Tierra y Energía (INTE-PUCP) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  3. ^ a b "Día de la Diversidad Biológica: conoce a tres investigadoras peruanas guardianas de la flora y fauna del Perú". Panamericana Televisión. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  4. ^ a b Concytec Perú (2024-05-22). Pop ciencia - Día de la biodiversidad. Retrieved 2025-02-28 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ PERÚ, Empresa Peruana de Servicios Editoriales S. A. EDITORA (2024-05-22). "Día de la Diversidad Biológica: conoce a 3 investigadoras guardianas de la flora y fauna". andina.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  6. ^ "Norma Salinas Revilla". Instituto de la Naturaleza, Tierra y Energía (INTE-PUCP). Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  7. ^ a b "Mentes del Perú presenta su segundo episodio con la bióloga e investigadora PUCP Norma Salinas Revilla". Departamento Académico de Ciencias PUCP (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  8. ^ Cosio, Eric; Salinas, Norma; Cruz, Rudi; Stern, Rafael; Thomas, Christoph K; Tito, Richard; Nina-Quispe, Alex; Ramos-Chang, Esteban; Urquiza-Muñoz, Jose D.; Becker, Rolf; Jan, Sonntag; Bereswill, Sarah; Kirsten, Thonicke; Knox, Sara H; Hoyt, Alison (2024-12-11). "AndesFlux: Measuring ecohydrological responses of forests to climate change along an environmental gradient to bridge observational gaps in the western Amazon". AGU - Agu24. Bibcode:2024AGUFMB34D...06C. Archived from the original on 2024-12-16.
  9. ^ a b "In Peru, a 20-year study charted Amazon forests—and revealed how warming has changed them". www.science.org. Retrieved 2025-03-06.
  10. ^ "AmeriFlux". AmeriFlux. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
  11. ^ Folhadella, Ana (2021-06-15). "Studying Greenhouse Gas Fluxes to Learn How Climate Change Affects the Amazon Rainforest". Amazon Conservation Association. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
  12. ^ "Norma Salinas, investigadora del INTE-PUCP, asume el rol de representante de Universidades Privadas en la Comisión Multisectorial de Asesoramiento del Minam". Instituto de la Naturaleza, Tierra y Energía (INTE-PUCP) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  13. ^ "NORMA SALINAS REVILLA". Google Scholar. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  14. ^ PERÚ, Empresa Peruana de Servicios Editoriales S. A. EDITORA (2018-10-09). "Obra de teatro alienta a las niñas a convertirse en científicas". andina.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-02-28.
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