I am a conservation ecologist with broad interests in spatial ecology, macroecology, biodiversity conservation and global change biology. My research is focused on the factors that determine species distributions, abundances and extinctions, with an emphasis on the effect of human influence on species and interactions among them.
My main goal is the conservation of biodiversity through the combination of ecological and social views, both vital to understand the actual biodiversity crisis.
EDUCATION
PhD Biología Integrada - Universidad de Sevilla 2022
MSc Biodiversity and Conservation Biology - Universidad Pablo de Olavide 2011
Expert in Geographic Information Systems - Universidad Internacional de 2010 Andalucía
Graduado en Biología - Universidad de Sevilla 2010
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Biodiversity, Conservation biology, Global Change Biology, Macroecology, Spatial Ecology.
A Machine Learning Application to Camera-Traps: Robust Species Interactions Datasets for Analysis of Mutualistic Networks Pablo Villalva, Pedro Jordano Ecology and Evolution, 2026 Recording and quantifying ecological interactions is vital for understanding biodiversity, ecosystem stability, and resilience. Camera traps have become a key tool for documenting plant–animal interactions, especially when combined with computer vision (CV) technology to handle large datasets. However, creating comprehensive ecological interaction databases remains challenging due to labor‐intensive processes and a lack of standardization. While CV aids in data processing, it has limitations, including information loss, which can impact subsequent analyses. This study presents a detailed methodology to streamline the creation of robust ecological interaction databases using CV‐enhanced tools. It highlights potential pitfalls in applying CV models across different contexts, particularly for specific plant and animal species. The approach aligns with existing camera trap standards and incorporates complex network analysis tools. It also addresses a gap in ecological research by extending the methodology to behavioral studies using video‐based image recognition, as most current studies rely on still images. The study evaluates CV's performance in estimating species interaction frequency (PIE) and its ecological implications. Results show that up to 10% of pairwise interactions may be missed with CV, with information loss varying among focal species and individual plants. The loss of information is minimal compared to the vast data CV enables researchers to gather especially if data is intended to be used in community‐level approaches where only three out of 344 unique pairwise interactions were missed. In community‐level approaches, the overall estimates of both PIEs and interaction strengths remained largely unaffected. The methodology provides a valuable resource for ecologists seeking to document ecological interactions efficiently. It offers guidelines for collecting reliable data while addressing CV's limitations in capturing unbiased species interaction data. Despite its constraints, CV significantly enhances the ability to gather large‐scale interaction data, particularly at the community level, making it an indispensable tool for ecological research.
Native and Alien Ungulates in North America: Potential for Restoring Herbivore Diversity and Functions Ming Ni, Joe Atkinson, Erick Lundgren, Pablo Villalva, Wanben Wu, et al. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2026 Aim Large herbivores play key roles in ecosystems by promoting plant diversity, dispersing seeds, regulating nutrient cycling, and shaping vegetation structure. Since the Late Pleistocene, their declines have led to profound ecosystem changes. While often viewed as problematic, alien herbivores may partly compensate for these losses; yet their spatial contributions remain poorly understood. We provide the first spatially explicit assessment of native and alien large herbivores in North America (NA), evaluating their potential to restore herbivore diversity and functions relative to a present‐natural baseline. Location North America (United States and Canada). Time Period Late Pleistocene to present. Major Taxa Studied Ungulates ≥ 20 kg. Method We combined species distribution models based on citizen‐science records with functional trait data (body size, grazing, browsing) to estimate current and potential distributions of 12 native and 23 alien ungulate species. We compared four scenarios (current and potential natives, with and without aliens) against a present‐natural baseline. Results Alien ungulates are widespread, especially in southern NA, with Texas showing highest richness. If both native and alien species expanded to their climatic potential ranges, they could offset c. 40% of the deficit in richness and diet composition caused by Late Pleistocene extinctions, with full recovery possible in the Southeast and Arctic. Native species contribute about twice as much as alien species overall, but aliens disproportionately restore grazing intensity. Conclusions Alien ungulates can enhance herbivore diversity and partially restore lost ecosystem functions, though neither natives nor aliens fully compensate for extinct megafauna. Their tropical–subtropical origins limit potential ranges, and expansions must be balanced against ecological risks.
Multiple global-change drivers and cascading effects in Mediterranean ecosystems: Lessons from an iconic national park Maria Paniw, Duarte S. Viana, Cristina Coccia, Virginia Domínguez‐García, Iñigo Donázar‐Aramendía, et al. Conservation Science and Practice, 2026 Historically, Mediterranean systems, particularly the Mediterranean Basin, have been substantially impacted by multiple regional‐scale disturbances resulting from complex interactive effects of global‐change drivers. However, such effects are typically studied on isolated groups of organisms, often disregarding how ecological processes such as biotic interactions affect ecosystem responses to global change. We use the Doñana Protected Area, one of the most important wetlands and shrublands in Europe, as a well‐documented case study to highlight how regional anthropogenic pressures simultaneously affect various interacting species, creating cascading impacts across trophic webs on different ecosystems. Using two examples representing the role of key habitat‐structuring species on ecosystem processes, the cork oak ( Quercus suber ) and European rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ), we show how decreases in abundance of such key species due to interlinked direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures can alter multitrophic communities—but not always negatively, as other species can adapt to the loss of key species. We also use two examples of species that have flourished under human pressures, the native wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) and invasive red swamp crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ), and how increases in their abundance have had complex impacts on ecosystems. We then discuss, based on the outcomes of actual conservation actions, how management targeted at single species or taxa is ineffective for ecosystem functioning, as it ignores complex interlinks with other components of the system. Instead, the ecosystem‐wide impacts of gains and losses of interacting species serve as an excellent empirical example for the need for conservation management and research agenda that account for the complexity of global change in the Mediterranean.
Effect of uneven tolerance to human disturbance on dominance interactions of top predators Pablo Villalva, Francisco Palomares, Marina Zanin Conservation Biology, 2025 Anthropogenic activities may alter felid assemblage structure, facilitating the persistence of tolerant species (commonly mesopredators), excluding ecologically demanding ones (top predators) and, consequently, changing coexistence rules. We aimed to determine how human activities influence intraguild relationships among top predators and their cascading effects on mesopredators, which remain poorly understood despite evidence of top carnivore decline. We used structural equation modeling at a continental scale to investigate how habitat quality and quantity, livestock density, and other human pressures modified the intraguild relations of the 3 species that are at the top of the food chain in the Neotropics: jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor), and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). We included presence–absence data derived from systematic studies compiled in Neocarnivores data set for these felid species at 0.0833° resolution. Human disturbance reduced the probability of jaguar occurrence by −0.35 standard deviations. Unexpectedly, the presence of sheep (Ovis aries) or goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and jaguars was positively related to the presence of pumas, whereas puma presence was negatively related to the presence of ocelots. Extent of forest cover had more of an effect on jaguar (β = 0.23) and ocelot (β = 0.12) occurrences than the extent of protected area, which did not have a significant effect. The lack of effect of human activities on puma presence and the positive effect of small livestock supports the notion that pumas are more adaptable to habitat disturbance than jaguars. Our findings suggest that human disturbance has the potential to reverse the hierarchical competition dominance among large felids, leading to an unbalanced community structure. This shift disadvantages jaguars and elevates the position of pumas in the assemblage hierarchy, resulting in the exclusion of ocelots, despite their relatively lower susceptibility to anthropogenic disturbance. Our results suggest that conservation efforts should extend beyond protected areas to encompass the surrounding landscape, where complexities and potential conflicts are more pronounced.
FRUGIVORY CAMTRAP: A dataset of plant–animal interactions recorded with camera traps Pablo Villalva, Blanca Arroyo‐Correa, Gemma Calvo, Pablo Homet, Jorge Isla, et al. Ecology, 2024 Ecological interactions are a key component of biodiversity, essential for understanding ecosystem services and functioning. Recording and quantifying ecological interactions is challenging, frequently requiring complex logistics and substantial effort in the field. Camera traps are routinely used in ecology for various applications, and have proven to be an excellent method for passive and non‐invasive sampling of plant–animal interactions. We implemented a standardized camera trap protocol to document vertebrate frugivores‐fleshy fruited plants interactions in Doñana National Park, SW Spain, with the central objective of inventorying the diversity of plant–animal ecological interactions providing seed dispersal services. From 2018 to 2023 we recorded pairwise interactions from which we obtained qualitative (presence‐absence) and quantitative (frequency of visits) information. Each record in the dataset contains information of a visit by an individual animal to an individual plant, resulting in any form of fleshy‐fruit use and provides information on visitation phenology, visit length, and feeding behavior. The dataset presented here includes 10,659 frugivory interaction events for 59 vertebrate species (46 birds, 13 mammals) recorded on 339 plant individuals from 13 different plant species which dominate the fleshy‐fruited plant assemblage in the Doñana National Park. The most recorded animal species consuming fruits and playing a legitimate seed dispersal role was Curruca melanocephala (1678 records) among birds and Vulpes vulpes among mammals (751 records). Cervus elaphus, a fruit consumer with a marginal role as legitimate seed disperser, was the most recorded mammal species (1508 records). Avian frugivores, particularly those from the Sylviidae and Turdidae families, are widespread in the region and play a crucial role in maintaining the dispersal service for the fleshy‐fruited plant populations in the area. The dataset offers highly versatile quantitative information that can be used to investigate frugivory from the highest resolution scale, the interaction event between pairs of individuals. In addition, other information that can be extracted includes the timing of interactions of animals and plants (their phenological couplings), activity periods of the animals, behavior during the events and preferences for individual plants within populations. There are no copyright restrictions on the data. When using the data from this data paper in publications, we kindly request that you cite the paper accordingly. Additionally, we encourage researchers and educators to inform us about how they are using this data, as we value feedback and would like to be aware of its various applications.
Commentary to: An integrated historical study on human–tiger interactions in China Pablo Villalva Integrative Conservation, 2024 The tiger holds a revered position in Chinese culture, symbolizing power and strength, yet its coexistence with human populations has often been marked by tension and conflict. Understanding the historical dynamics of human‐tiger relations is essential for comprehending the current state of tiger populations and shaping future coexistence with the species. The article “An integrated historical study on human‐tiger interactions in China” examines several aspects of human attitudes toward tigers across varying dynasties, revealing striking differences, with some periods marked by intense exploitation and others characterized by greater tolerance. While the article discusses a number of interesting historical and current issues that help the reader to better understand human–tiger relations, it does not mention significant issues such as the practice of tiger farming, which appears to be a major area of human–tiger interaction as the number of captive tigers is now double that of wild populations. It is also important to consider the fundamental role of legislation in shaping human‐tiger interactions in China. This commentary aims to complement the article's vision by addressing these gaps and offering valuable guidance for policymakers and conservationists working toward long‐term human‐tiger coexistence in China.
The differential genetic signatures related to climatic landscapes for jaguars and pumas on a continental scale Marina ZANIN, Noa GONZALEZ‐BORRAJO, Cuauhtémoc CHÁVEZ, Yamel RUBIO, Bart HARMSEN, et al. Integrative Zoology, 2021 Modern and paleoclimate changes may have altered species dynamics by shifting species' niche suitability over space and time. We analyze whether the current genetic structure and isolation of the two large American felids, jaguar (Panthera onca) and puma (Puma concolor), are mediated by changes in climatic suitability and connection routes over modern and paleoclimatic landscapes. We estimate species distribution under five climatic landscapes (modern, Holocene, last maximum glaciations - LMG, average suitability, and climatic instability) and correlate them with individuals' genetic isolation through causal modeling on a resemblance matrix. Both species exhibit genetic isolation patterns correlated with LMG climatic suitability, suggesting that these areas may have worked as 'allele refuges'. However, the jaguar showed higher vulnerability to climate changes, responding to modern climatic suitability and connection routes, whereas the puma showed a continuous and gradual transition of genetic variation. Despite differential responsiveness to climate change, both species are subjected to the climatic effects on genetic configuration, which may make than susceptible to future climatic changes since these are progressing faster and with higher intensity than changes in the paleoclimate. Thus, the effects of climatic changes should be considered in the design of conservation strategies to ensure evolutionary and demographic processes mediated by gene flow for both species. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A comprehensive, multi-method dataset of plant-frugivore interactions in a Mediterranean hotspot PJ Eva Moracho, Juan Miguel Arroyo, Blanca Arroyo-Correa, Gemma Calvo, Pablo ... Scientific Data , 2026 2026
A comprehensive, multi-method dataset of plant-frugivore interactions in a Mediterranean hotspot E Moracho, JM Arroyo, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, J Isla, ... Scientific Data , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
A Machine Learning Application to Camera‐Traps: Robust Species Interactions Datasets for Analysis of Mutualistic Networks P Villalva, P Jordano Ecology and Evolution 16 (1), e72584 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Native and Alien Ungulates in North America: Potential for Restoring Herbivore Diversity and Functions M Ni, J Atkinson, E Lundgren, P Villalva, W Wu, JC Svenning Global Ecology and Biogeography 35 (1), e70192 , 2026 2026
A comprehensive, multi-method dataset of plant-frugivore interactions in a Mediterranean hotspot [Dataset] E Moracho, P Jordano, JM Arroyo, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, ... Zenodo , 2025 2025
What evidence exists for the impact of restoration of natural processes on biodiversity in temperate ecosystems: a systematic map protocol K Bouma, P Villalva Aguilar, SV Haugum, B Madsen, UA Treier, ... Environmental Evidence 14 (1), 1-6 , 2025 2025
A process-based understanding of ecosystem buffering against stressors: response to Kong et al. P Villalva, JA Kristensen, S Normand Trends in Ecology & Evolution , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Multiple global-change drivers and cascading effects in Mediterranean ecosystems: Lessons from an iconic national park M Paniw, DS Viana, C Coccia, V Domínguez-García, Í Donázar, ... EcoEvoRxiv , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
A Machine Learning Application to Camera-Traps: Robust Species Interactions Datasets for Analysis of Mutualistic Networks P Villalva, P Jordano bioRxiv , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Fleshy-Fruit Consumption in Doñana P Villalva, E Quintero, J Isla, P Jordano Bulletin Ecological society of America , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Asymmetric tolerance to human disturbance affects dominance interactions of top predators PV Aguilar Econovo conference , 2024 2024
Human activities change ecological interaction rules among carnivores PV Aguilar Biology Annual Conference Aarhus University , 2024 2024
FRUGIVORY CAMTRAP: A dataset of plant-animal interactions recorded with camera traps P Villalva, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, J Isla, I Mendoza, ... Ecology , 2024 2024 Citations: 15
Commentary to: An integrated historical study on human–tiger interactions in China P Villalva Integrative Conservation , 2024 2024
Effect of uneven tolerance to human disturbance on dominance interactions of top predators P Villalva, F Palomares, M Zanin Conservation Biology , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
FRUGIVORY CAMTRAP: A dataset of plant-animal interactions recorded with camera traps P Villalva, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, J Isla, I Mendoza, ... DIGITAL. CSIC , 2023 2023
AI based workflow for recording plant animal interactions data with camera traps P Villalva, P Jordano CSIC-Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD) , 2023 2023 Citations: 3
Amenazas actuales de los felinos neotropicales: la ganadería en el punto de mira P Villalva Aguilar 2022
A continental approach to jaguar extirpation: A tradeoff between anthropic and intrinsic causes P Villalva, F Palomares Journal for Nature Conservation 66, 126145 , 2022 2022 Citations: 16
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics M Nagy‐Reis, JEF Oshima, CZ Kanda, FBL Palmeira, FR de Melo, ... Ecology 101 (11), e03128 , 2020 2020.0 Citations: 80
Do dry ledges reduce the barrier effect of roads? P Villalva, D Reto, M Santos-Reis, E Revilla, C Grilo Ecological Engineering 57, 143-148 , 2013 2013.0 Citations: 42
Perceptions and livestock predation by felids in extensive cattle ranching areas of two Bolivian ecoregions P Villalva, F Palomares European Journal of Wildlife Research 65 (3), 36 , 2019 2019.0 Citations: 21
Tiger trade threatens big cats worldwide P Villalva, E Moracho Science 364 (6442), 743-743 , 2019 2019.0 Citations: 20
A continental approach to jaguar extirpation: A tradeoff between anthropic and intrinsic causes P Villalva, F Palomares Journal for Nature Conservation 66, 126145 , 2022 2022.0 Citations: 16
FRUGIVORY CAMTRAP: A dataset of plant-animal interactions recorded with camera traps P Villalva, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, J Isla, I Mendoza, ... Ecology , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 15
The differential genetic signatures related to climatic landscapes for jaguars and pumas on a continental scale M Zanin, N GONZALEZ‐BORRAJO, C Chavez, Y Rubio, B Harmsen, ... Integrative Zoology 16 (1), 2-18 , 2021 2021.0 Citations: 13
Effect of uneven tolerance to human disturbance on dominance interactions of top predators P Villalva, F Palomares, M Zanin Conservation Biology , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 10
Non-invasive genetic identification of two sympatric sister-species: ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis ) and margay ( L. wiedii ) in different biomes B Adrados, M Zanin, L Silveira, P Villalva, C Chavez, C Keller, ... Conservation Genetics Resources 11 (2), 203-217 , 2019 2019.0 Citations: 10
A Machine Learning Application to Camera-Traps: Robust Species Interactions Datasets for Analysis of Mutualistic Networks P Villalva, P Jordano bioRxiv , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 6
Fleshy-Fruit Consumption in Doñana P Villalva, E Quintero, J Isla, P Jordano Bulletin Ecological society of America , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 3
AI based workflow for recording plant animal interactions data with camera traps P Villalva, P Jordano CSIC-Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD) , 2023 2023.0 Citations: 3
A comprehensive, multi-method dataset of plant-frugivore interactions in a Mediterranean hotspot E Moracho, JM Arroyo, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, J Isla, ... Scientific Data , 2026 2026.0 Citations: 2
A process-based understanding of ecosystem buffering against stressors: response to Kong et al. P Villalva, JA Kristensen, S Normand Trends in Ecology & Evolution , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 2
Multiple global-change drivers and cascading effects in Mediterranean ecosystems: Lessons from an iconic national park M Paniw, DS Viana, C Coccia, V Domínguez-García, Í Donázar, ... EcoEvoRxiv , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 2
Plant-animal frugivore interactions and beyond in Doñana's fruiting season: Insights from DNA barcoding E Moracho, G Calvo, P Homet, P Villalva, E Quintero, J Isla, JM Arroyo, ... Citations: 2
A Machine Learning Application to Camera‐Traps: Robust Species Interactions Datasets for Analysis of Mutualistic Networks P Villalva, P Jordano Ecology and Evolution 16 (1), e72584 , 2026 2026.0 Citations: 1
A comprehensive, multi-method dataset of plant-frugivore interactions in a Mediterranean hotspot PJ Eva Moracho, Juan Miguel Arroyo, Blanca Arroyo-Correa, Gemma Calvo, Pablo ... Scientific Data , 2026 2026.0
Native and Alien Ungulates in North America: Potential for Restoring Herbivore Diversity and Functions M Ni, J Atkinson, E Lundgren, P Villalva, W Wu, JC Svenning Global Ecology and Biogeography 35 (1), e70192 , 2026 2026.0
A comprehensive, multi-method dataset of plant-frugivore interactions in a Mediterranean hotspot [Dataset] E Moracho, P Jordano, JM Arroyo, B Arroyo-Correa, G Calvo, P Homet, ... Zenodo , 2025 2025.0
