Carol Arantes

Carol Arantes is an Assistant Professor of Wildlife and Fisheries at West Virginia University's School of Natural Resources and Environment. Her research examines the ecology and management of fish and fisheries in relation to environmental changes affecting freshwater ecosystems, including hydropower dams, deforestation, and overfishing. She employs interdisciplinary approaches to address conservation challenges in Amazonian floodplain rivers and other aquatic systems.

Education includes a PhD in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University, a Masters in Applied Zoology from UESC (Brazil), and a Bachelors in Oceanography from UERJ (Brazil). She previously served as a Research Associate at Michigan State University's Center for Global Change and Earth Observations.

Research interests span:

• Impacts of land cover changes and deforestation on fish assemblages
• Hydropower dam effects on fisheries and social-ecological systems
• Climate change vulnerability of aquatic species
• Invasion biology and community-based resource management
• Functional trait-based approaches in conservation

Her publications primarily focus on Amazonian floodplain ecology, demonstrating consistent themes: spatial analysis of fish diversity, socio-ecological impacts of hydropower, functional trait responses to environmental change, and community-based conservation strategies. Recent work emphasizes climate adaptation and large-scale hydrological impacts.

Dr. Arantes leads the Aquatic Ecology and Conservation Lab at WVU, which investigates conservation solutions through field studies in the Amazon and Appalachian regions. The lab collaborates with institutions like Michigan State University and Brazilian research centers, focusing on invasive species, climate vulnerability, and dam impacts. Current projects include assessing silver carp impacts in US rivers and climate adaptation tools for aquatic species.