I hold a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the National University of Colombia. After completing my undergraduate studies, I ventured into the realm of environmental research with the Alliance Bioversity & CIAT in Cali, Colombia. My 6-month internship with this research center allowed me to work as a research engineer for 7 years. During this period, I played a pivotal role in a diverse array of projects, ranging from the monitoring of deforestation in Latin America using remote sensing and GIS techniques to active involvement in initiatives aimed at restoring and converting agricultural landscapes into sustainable ecosystems in the Amazon Ecoregion. The overarching objective was to closely monitor and enhance the connectivity of the remaining primary forest within the fragmented landscapes of the Amazon.

In parallel with my professional endeavors, I pursued a 2-year master’s degree in Geographic Information Systems at San Francisco University in Quito, Ecuador. Subsequently, this degree was internationally accredited with one more year of master’s degree by the University of Salzburg, culminating in the attainment of a dual Master of Science degree in Geography and Geographic Information Systems.

Currently, I am in the process of earning my Ph.D. in ecology at Aix Marseille University and IMBE (PPM team), with an expected thesis defense date set for September 2024. My research is primarily focused on unraveling the effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. Employing an empirical approach deeply rooted in the principles of landscape ecology, my research comprises a series of meticulously designed landscape ecology experiments on artificial microcosms. These experiments are aimed at simulating conditions within fragmented landscapes, thereby shedding light on the intricate interplay between two critical variables affecting population dynamics : the spatial arrangement of remaining habitats (habitat configuration) and the potential for organisms to traverse habitat remnants in the landscape (matrix permeability). As a model organism, we use Collembola (Folsomia candida), a widely recognized prey species. Our research methodology involves the use of photographs and AI techniques for the weekly monitoring of the dynamics of a multigenerational population exposed to different landscape connectivity scenarios.

My doctoral research is an integral part of the MINILAND component of SCALED, a groundbreaking 5-year project spearheaded by Dr. Cécile Albert, my thesis supervisor (as well as Dr. Benoît Geslin and Dr. Mathieu Santonja). This ambitious initiative is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. SCALED aims to address the ongoing discourse surrounding the potential offered by the management of habitat configuration, matrix permeability, and habitat amount. To achieve this, the project combines modeling techniques with empirical approaches, all at varying spatial scales and across multiple organisms. SCALED aspires to yield conclusive scientific evidence to guide decision-makers in the realms of conservation and territorial planning.

Under the guidance of Dr. Louis Reymondin and Dr. Andrew Jarvis, over a span of 3.5 years (2009 to 2012), I actively contributed to both the calibration/validation processes and the generation of early warnings regarding habitat loss in Latin America. This was achieved using MODIS satellite images and neural networks. Working in collaboration with local and national governments, our goal was to establish a direct link between the technical data produced by the Terra-i tool (developed by Louis Reymondin) and actions on the ground, as well as political decisions, aimed at halting or mitigating deforestation in biodiversity hotspots of Latin America.

Photo credit : CIAT, Terra-i Team

From 2015 to 2018, I was actively engaged in two distinct projects that centered around the transformation of conventional agricultural landscapes into agroecosystems and sustainable environments within Colombia. The first of these projects was the Sustainable Amazon Landscapes (SAL) initiative, led by Dr. Marcela Quintero and supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI). Within this project, my role entailed coordination of the Forest Carbon Monitoring component, overseeing the management of the geographic information database, and supervising the utilization of remote sensing and drone-based farm mapping. The second project, named the Natural Wealth Program, represented an endeavor aimed at harmonizing objectives pertaining to biodiversity conservation and rural development within tropical dry forest landscapes Validation in northern Colombia. My principal responsibility was the development of the BIOTERRA system for monitoring biodiversity and deforestation. This initiative was carried out in collaboration with the Humboldt Instituteand the government institution National Parks of Colombia (PNN). The innovative BIOTERRA system relied on participatory science and employed the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) system, which amalgamates GIS, training materials, and patrol standards. Its overarching purpose was to facilitate the monitoring of biodiversity and the identification of various threats, including mining, logging, hunting, roadkill, and more. Additionally, it encompassed the active involvement of indigenous communities in the processes of conserving and restoring Amazonian landscapes.

Photo credit : CIAT, One-site validation of deforestation alerts

During the period spanning from 2014 to 2015, I had the privilege of working under the guidance of Dr. Caitlin Corner-Dollof. My primary responsibility during this one-year duration was to developed the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)profile for Colombia. Additionally, I played an active role the technical team to support the development of the CSA country profiles for various Latin American countries such as Argentina, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Grenada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Uruguay. These profiles served as comprehensive documents that provided an in-depth analysis of the agricultural challenges encountered within my homeland. Furthermore, they elucidated how the adoption of CSA practices could not only benefit farmers but also align with government policies aimed at both adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. It’s worth noting that this collective undertaking was conducted in partnership with esteemed organizations including CIAT, CCAFS, the World Bank, [bleu ciel]CATIE of Costa Rica, and the USAID Office of Food Security.

Photo credit : CIAT, Colombian coffee farmer

Argote, K., Albert C.H, Geslin B., Biryol C., and Santonja M. 2023. “Effects of Litter Quality on Foraging Behaviour and Demographic Parameters in Folsomia Candida (Collembola).” Ecology and Evolution 13, no. 8 : e10420. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10420
Argote, K., Geslin B., Santonja M., Albert C.H. 2022, Effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity : a laboratory experiment focusing on soil microarthropods [Oral presentation]. IALE 2022-European Landscape Ecology Congress : Making the future, learning from the past, 11-15 July 2022, Warsaw, Poland.
Argote, K., Geslin B., Santonja M., Albert C.H. 2022, Food Perception Capacity and Movement Patterns in Function of Leaf-Litter Quality in Collembola (Folsomia Candida) [Poster presentation]. Conference : 29ème Congrès de l’école doctorale Sciences de l’environnement Aix-Marseille Université (EDSE 2022), 3-4 May 2022, Marseille, France https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14255.82081

Argote, K., Rodríguez-Sánchez B., Quintero M., and Francesconi W. 2022. “One Tree at a Time : Restoring Landscape Connectivity through Silvopastoral Systems in Transformed Amazon Landscapes.” Diversity 14, no. 10 : 846. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100846

See 3 examples :
Argote K., Quintero M., 2018. Land Management Inputs for the Colombian Caribbean. Natural Wealth Program. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and CIAT. 16p. Access here
Argote K., Jarvis A., 2014. Climate-Smart Agriculture in Colombia. CSA Country Profiles for Latin America Series. World Bank ; CIAT ; CATIE. Washington D.C. Access here
Reymondin L, Argote K, Jarvis A, Navarrete C, Coca A, Grossman D, Villalba A, Suding P. 2013. Road impact assessment using remote sensing methodology for monitoring land-use change in Latin America : Results of Five Case Studies. Inter-American Development Bank (BID). p. 31. Access here

For the full list, visit Karolina’s research gate profile

See 3 examples :
Argote K. Quintero M. 2018. “BIOTERRA : Monitoreo de la Biodiversidad para mejorar la toma de decisiones ante las amenazas a los ecosistemas”. 2018 Annual Meeting of USAID’s Natural Wealth Program. Bogotá-Colombia. Access here
Argote K. Reymondin L., Navarrete C., Grossman D., Touval J., Jarvis A. 2012. “Road Impact Assessment on Habitat Loss in Latin America” presentation of results to the donor Inter-American Development Bank (IBD), Cali, Colombia. Access here
Argote K., Reymondin L., Jarvis A. 2011. “Terra-i, Monitoreo de cambios en el habitat usando redes neuronales y datos satelitales MODIS”. Workshop : “Primer Taller de Monitoreo de Bosques”. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Lima-Perú. Access here

For the full list, visit Karolina’s research gate profile

• Contract (CDD) as a Research engineer with CNRS to finance the last year of PhD studies (April 2023 to November 2024)
• Excellence scholarship for doctoral studies abroad granted by the Colombian government. (COLFUTURO-Colombia) (April 2021 to March 2023)

• More than 200KUS$ obtained as co-PI in the Terra-i Honduras Project. USAID funding. 2017-2018
• More than 60KUS$ obtained as co-PI in the MEba Peru project. UNEP funding. 2014-2015
• More than 50KUS$ obtained as co-PI in the EUROCLIMA project. EU funding. 2014-2015

• United States Forest Service (USFS) scholarship for 3-month Carbon Monitoring training Forest. Mexico, May-August 2012

• Recognition for good work performance in 2011. CIAT.
• Recognition of good work performance in 2010. CIAT.