Tropical Plant Ecology and Urban Systems Lab

Tropical Ecology and Urban Systems Laboratory 

Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Sistemas Urbanos (LETSU)

Who we are

We are part of the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (UPRRP). We are located at the Facundo Bueso building, lab 003. This laboratory is directed by Dr. Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman. 

Our Mission

  • Contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the training of students on three core areas: Plant Ecology, Biodiversity and Function of Urban Social-Ecological Systems.
  • Facilitate the transfer scientific information to forms where they can be used by policy makers and the general public.
  • Serve as educators and help improve local and global environmental literacy.

Activities and Opportunities

  • We offer educational talks on various topics related to environmental science, such as orientation about how to prepare for studying Environmental Sciences at the UPR-RP, the water cycle in urban systems, ecosystem services provided by trees and others.
  • We offer workshops related to the environmental sciences, infrastructure inventories, and tree inventories, and others. Through these workshops we teach basic concepts to students and the general community on tree identification and measurement for ecosystem services estimation following i-Tree ECO protocols. 
  • We offer guided tours through our lab facilities, as well as other areas of interest in the Río Piedras Campus and the Río Piedras Watershed.
  • We hold annual symposiums at our lab open to the general public, so that students who have worked in our lab can present their projects in a poster format.
  • Preparation of science modules for schools
  • Counseling and mentoring for students
  • Production of audiovisual material
  • Community support and guidance
  • We offer students the opportunity to volunteer for Horas de Contacto Verde through all the activities in the laboratory. 

If you are interested in any of these activities and opportunities, please contact us at:

Laboratory email: LabLETSU@gmail.com
Dr. Melendez-Ackerman: elmelend@gmail.com
Prof. Kidany Selles: l.kidany@gmail.com

*Todo esto lo ofrecemos en español. No duden en contactarnos.  

About of Dr. Elvia Melendez-Ackerman

Academic Background:

  • BSc: Biology University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras
  • MS: Biology University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras
  • PhD: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine 1995.

Curriculum Vitae: E.Melendez-Ackerman- CV

Courses Taught: 1996-Present

Undergraduate: Undergraduate Research (Biol 4990),  Lecture and Coordination of Botany Laboratories (Biol 3014; 3014L), Botany (Biol. 3014), Lecture and Coordination Ecology Labs (Biol 3111; Biol 3012), Coordinator Biology Tutoring (Biol 4980), Introduction to Environmental Sciences (CIAM 3005), Plant Taxonomy (UPR-Humacao), iTree and Forest Health (CIAM 4997),  CIAM 4997-011 (Proposal), CIAM 4997-013 (Bsc Thesis), CIAM 4995 (Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Natural Resource Management).

Graduate: Graduate Rotation (Biol 8700), Problems in Biology (6855) Coordinator and part-time lecturer of GIS course in Collaboration with CRC-Smithsonian (not for credit), Bioconservation.(Biol 6145) Ecology, (Biol 6007- Graduate Seminar in Zoology theme – Evolution (Biol 6996), Plant Reproductive Ecology (Biol 6007), Undersdtandind the vulnerability and and sustainability of urban social-ecological systems (CINA 4995 y) PRGH ). ULTRA Social Ecological Systems Seminar (CIAM 8901), Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Natural Resource Management (CIAM 8901).