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Leeanne E. Alonso, Ph.D.

Senior Associate

    Education

    Ph.D., Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, 1994,M.A., Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, 1991,B.S., Zoology, University of Texas, Austin, 1987,B.A., Liberal Arts, University of Texas, Austin, 1987

    Dr. Leeanne E. Alonso, formerly GWC’s director of Global Biodiversity Exploration, has coordinated and led over 45 scientific explorations in 25 countries to document species richness and guide conservation actions. These explorations brought together international biodiversity experts with local scientist and students, facilitating capacity building in-country and ensuring that the data are turned into conservation action on-the-ground. Leeanne is also a founding member of the Women in Nature Network (WiNN), which aims to strengthen the role of women in conservation and natural resource management around the world. As the director of Global Biodiversity Exploration and previously as the head of the Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) at Conservation International, Dr. Leeanne Alonso has coordinated and led more than 45 scientific expeditions to document the biodiversity of unexplored parts of the world. These expeditions bring together international biodiversity experts with local scientist and students, facilitating capacity building in-country and ensuring that the data are turned into conservation action on-the-ground. Leeanne earned her PhD in Biology from Harvard University in 1994, working with renowned scientist and ant expert, Dr. E.O. Wilson, on the ecological interactions between ants and plants. Leeanne has worked in over 25 countries, mainly in the tropics, to document species richness and guide conservation action. With her expertise on biodiversity data collection, she also advises the private sector on how to minimize the impacts of their development projects on the environment. Leeanne is also a founding member of the Women for Wildlife Network, which aims to strengthen the role of women in conservation and natural resource management around the world.

    Alonso, L.E and T.H. Larsen (Editors). 2013. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Upper Palumeu River Watershed (Grensgebergte and Kasikasima) of Southeastern Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 67. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Alonso, L.E. and J.A. Helms. 2013. A rapid assessment of the ants of the Grensgebergte and Kasikasima regions of Southeastern Suriname. In: Alonso, L.E and T.H. Larsen (eds.). 2013. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Upper Palumeu River Watershed (Grensgebergte and Kasikasima) of Southeastern Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 67. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Moredjo, A., L. Famolare, L.E. Alonso and T.H. Larsen. 2013. Importance of Conserving Southeastern Suriname. In: Alonso, L.E and T.H. Larsen (eds.). 2013. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Upper Palumeu River Watershed (Grensgebergte and Kasikasima) of Southeastern Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 67. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Alonso, L.E., J.L. Deichmann, S.A. McKenna, P. Naskrecki and S.J. Richards (Editors). 2011. Still Counting…Biodiversity Exploration for Conservation – The First 20 Years of the Rapid Assessment Program. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA, 316 pp.,O’Shea, B.J., L.E. Alonso, and T.H. Larsen (Editors). 2011. A rapid biological assessment of the Kwamalasamutu region, Southwestern Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 63. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Alonso, L.E. 2011. A preliminary survey of the ants of the Kwamalasamutu region, SW Suriname. In: O’Shea, B.J., L.E. Alonso, and T.H. Larsen (eds.). A rapid biological assessment of the Kwamalasamutu region, Southwestern Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 63. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Lucky, A., E. Sarnat, and L.E. Alonso. 2011. Ants of the Muller Range, Papua New Guinea. In: Richards, S.J. and Gamui, B.G. (eds.). Rapid Biological Assessments of the Nakanai Mountains and the upper Strickland Basin: surveying the biodiversity of Papua New Guinea’s sublime karst environments. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 60. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Harrison, I.J., Upgren, A., and Alonso, L. 2011. Application of patterns of Data Deficient fish and odonate species to conservation planning. Section 8.5. 258-262. In: Darwall, W., Smith, K., Allen, D., Holland, R., Harrison, I. and Brooks, E. (eds.) 2011. The Diversity of Life in African Freshwaters: Under Water, Under Threat. An analysis of the status and distribution of freshwater species throughout mainland Africa. Cambridge, United Kingdom and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. xiii+347pp+4pp cover.,Alonso, L.E. 2010. Ant Conservation. In: L. Lach, C.L. Parr, and K.L. Abbott (eds.). Ant Ecology, Oxford University Press, New York, USA.,Alonso, L.E., Liu Shaoying, Shen Xiaoli, and J. McCullough (Editors). 2009. A Rapid Biological Assessment of three sites in the Mountains of Southwest China Hotspot, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 52. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Xu, Z. and L.E. Alonso. 2009. Ants (Formicidae). In: Alonso, L.E., Liu Shaoying, Shen Xiaoli, and J. McCullough. (eds.). 2009. A Rapid Biological Assessment of three sites in the Mountains of Southwest China Hotspot, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 52. Conservation International, Arlington, VA.,Alonso, L.E., J. McCullough, P. Naskrecki, E. Alexander, and H.E. Wright (eds.). 2008. A rapid biological assessment of the Konashen Community Conservation Area, Southern Guyana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 51. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.,Rapid Assessment Program. 2008. Biodiversity in the Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area, Guyana. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.,Alonso, L.E. and J.H. Mol (eds.). 2007. A rapid biological assessment of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.,Rapid Assessment Program. 2007. Biodiversity in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Ghana. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.,McCullough, J.M., LE. Alonso, P. Naskrecki, H.E. Wright, and Y. Osei-Owusu (eds.) 2007. A rapid biological assessment of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 47. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.,Alonso, L.E. and H.J. Berrenstein (eds.). 2006. A rapid biological assessment of the aquatic ecosystems of the Coppename River Basin, Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 39. Conservation International, Washington, DC.,Wright, H.E., J. McCullough, L.E. Alonso and M.S. Diallo (eds.). 2006. Rapid biological assessment of three classified forests in Southeastern Guinea. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 40. Conservation International, Washington, DC.,Lasso, J.C. Señarìs, L.E. Alonso, and A.L. Flores (eds.). 2006. Evaluación Rápida de la Biodiversidad de los Ecosistemas Acuáticos en la Confluencia de los ríos Orinoco y Ventuari, Estado Amazonas (Venezuela). Boletín RAP de Evaluación Biológica 40. Conservation International. Washington DC, USA.,Alonso, L.E., F. Lauginie, and G. Rondeau (eds.). 2005. A Rapid Biological Assessment of two Classified Forests in South-Western Cote d’Ivoire. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment No. 34. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Konate, S. K. Yeo, L. Yoboue, L. E. Alonso et K. Kouassi. 2005. Evaluation rapide de la diversité des insectes des Forêts Classées de la Haute Dodo et du Cavally, Côte d’Ivoire. In: Alonso, L.E., F. Lauginie, and G. Rondeau (eds.). A Rapid Biological Assessment of two Classified Forests in South-Western Cote d’Ivoire. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment No. 34. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Lasso, C.A., L.E. Alonso, A.L. Flores, and G. Love (eds.). 2004. Rapid assessment of the biodiversity and social aspects of the aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 37. Conservation International, Washington, DC.,Alonso, L.E. 2004. Suggestions for Developing a Standard Monitoring Plan for Shallow-water Aquatic Biodiversity in the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. In: Lasso, C.A., L.E. Alonso, A.L. Flores, and G. Love (eds.). Rapid assessment of the biodiversity and social aspects of the aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 37. Conservation International, Washington, DC.,Alonso, L.E. and L. Nordin (eds.). 2003. A rapid biological assessment of the aquatic ecosystems of the Okavango Delta, Botswana: High water survey. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 27. Conservation International, Washington, DC.,Kaspari, M., M. M. Yuan, L. Alonso. 2003. Spatial grain and the causes of regional diversity gradients in ants. American Naturalist. 161(3): 459-477.,Vander Meer, R. K. and L.E. Alonso. 2002. Queen primer pheromone affects conspecific fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) aggression. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 51:122-130.,Alonso, L.E., T.S. Schulenberg, S. Radilofe, and O. Missa (eds). 2001. A biological assessment of the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Ankarafantsika, Madagascar. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 23. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Beehler, B. M., and L. E. Alonso (eds.). 2001. Southern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea: A Biodiversity Assessment. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 21. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Alonso, L.E., A. Alonso, T. S. Schulenberg, and F. Dallmeier (eds). 2001. Biological and social assessments of the Cordillera de Vilcabamba, Peru. RAP Working Papers 12 and SI/MAB Series 6, Conservation International, Washington, D.C.,Alonso, L.E. and Agosti, D. 2000. Biodiversity studies, monitoring, and ants: an overview In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.,Alonso, L. E. 2000. Ants as indicators of diversity In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.,Bestelmeyer, B. T., Agosti, D., Alonso, L. E., Brandão, C. R. F., Brown Jr., W. L., Delabie, J. H. C., and Silvestre, R. 2000. Field techniques for the study of ground-dwelling ants: an overview, description, and evaluation In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.,Agosti, D. and Alonso, L. E. 2000. The ALL protocol: a standard protocol for the collection of ground-dwelling ants In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.,Agosti, D., J.D. Majer, L.E. Alonso, T. R. Schultz (eds.). 2000. Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C.,Agosti, D, J. Majer, L. Alonso, and T. Schultz (eds.). 2000. Sampling ground-dwelling ants: Case studies from the world’s rain forests. Curtin University School of Environmental Biology Bulletin. No. 18. Perth, Australia. 75 pp.,Kaspari M., L.E. Alonso, L, S. O’Donnell. 2000. Three energy variables predict ant abundance at a geographical scale. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 267: 1 – 5.,Mack, A.L. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A biological assessment of the Wapoga River Area of Northwestern Irian Jaya, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment #14. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Bestelmeyer, B.T. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A biological assessment of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Peten, Guatemala. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment #16. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Bestelmeyer, B.T., L.E. Alonso, and R.R. Snelling. 2000. The ants (Hymentoptera: Formicidae) of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Peten, Guatemala. In: Bestelmeyer, B.T. and L.E. Alonso (eds). A biological assessment of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Peten, Guatemala. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment #16. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.,Porter, S.D. and L.E. Alonso. 1999. Host specificity of Fire Ant Decapitating Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) in Laboratory oviposition tests. Journal of Economic Entomology. 92(1): 110-114.,Alonso, L.E. 1998. Spatial and temporal variation in the ant occupants of a facultative ant-plant. Biotropica. 30: 201-213.,Alonso, L.E. and R. K. Vander Meer. 1997. Source of alate excitant pheromones in Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera:     Formicidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 10(4): 541-555.,Vander Meer, R.K. and L.E. Alonso. 1997. Pheromone directed behavior in ants. In: R.K. Vander Meer, M.D.,Breed, M.L. Winston, and K.E. Espelie (eds.), Pheromone Communication in Social Insects: Ants, Wasps, Bees, and Termites. Westview Press, Boulder, CO,Alonso-M., A., L. E. Tennant de Alonso, L. Brower, and D. Murphy. 1996. Maintaining migratory phenomena: the Mexican monarch butterfly challenge. Conservation Biology Newsletter. 3: 1,17.,Tennant, L.E. 1994. The ecology of Wasmannia auropunctata in primary tropical rainforest in Costa Rica and Panama. In: D.F. Williams (ed.) Exotic Ants: Biology, Impact and Control of Introduced Species. Westview Press, Boulder.,Tennant, L.E. and S.D. Porter. 1991. Comparison of diets of two fire ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Solid and Liquid Components. Journal of Entomological Science. 26(4): 450-465.,Tennant, L.E., E.F. Rissman, and F.H. Bronson. 1987. Scent marking in the musk shrew (Suncus murinus). Physiology and Behavior. 39(6): 677-680.