Valentina García-Huidobro

• Megafauna loss in the Late Quaternary
• Stable isotopic methods
• Biodiversity and ecosystem shift

My doctoral research centers on studying the ecological effects of the extinction of megafauna on South American ecosystems in the Late Quaternary period. The loss of megafauna, such as giant sloths, had a profound impact on the structure and functioning of these ecosystems by disrupting predator-prey relationships and plant communities. By analyzing stable isotopes from fossil bones, I aim to track the diet and food web dynamics of these mammals and how the decline of megafauna has impacted not only individual species but also the overall biodiversity of the region. This research is part of the Senckenberg Society for Natural Research's Anthropocene Biodiversity Loss project.