School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences College of Science

Higher-Education

• 1998 Ph.D. Plant Biology (Restoration Ecology), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
• 1991 M.Sc. Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
• 1986 B.Sc. Agronomy, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
  

Research Overview

Degradation and recovery of ecosystems translate into changes in their functional and structural attributes. We focus on the assessment of ecological status of reconstructing or degrading systems based on functional attributes including organic matter turnover, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and also on some structural attributes. We also explore interspecific relationships with potentially significant influence on the natural or assisted recovery of native plant associations. Current projects in aquatic systems are being developed in estuaries linked to the lower Laguna Madre and local freshwater wetlands (resacas). In terrestrial systems, current projects involve animal dispersion, predation and protection of seeds from representative species in palm and thorn forests. Interactions between invasive grasses and native flora are also being explored in the context of ecological restoration. Ameliorations of limiting conditions for successful reforestation of thorn forest are also being developed. Habitats of higher interest: mangrove, seagrass and other estuarine habitats, sabal palm forest, tamaulipan thorn forest, coastal prairie, coastal dunes. 

Publications

• Faeqa Moshin, Arias Mylen, Clifton Albrecht, Kimberly Wahl, Alejandro Fierro Cabo, and
  Bradley Christoffersen. Species-specific responses to restoration interventions in a Tamaulipan
  thornforest. Forest Ecology and Management. 491, (March 2021): 13. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/forest-ecology-and-management
• Fierro-Cabo, A., Zamora, C.**, Arellano, L., Cintra-Buenrostro, C. (in press). Laguna Madre de Tamaulipas since 2000. In W. Tunnell, F. Judd and K. Withers (Ed.), The Laguna Madre of Texas and Tamaulipas. 2nd Edition (2nd ed.). Texas A&M University Press
• Moshin, F**., Arias M.**, Albretch, C.**, Wahl, K., Fierro-Cabo, A., Christoffersen, B. (2021). Species-specific responses to restoration interventions in a Tamaulipan thornforest. Forest Ecology and Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119154
• Murphy, A. E.**, Cintra-Buenrostro, C., Fierro-Cabo, A. (2020). Identifying nitrogen source and seasonal variation in a Black Mangrove ( Avicennia germinans) community, south Texas coast. Aquatic Botany. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2020.103339
• Fierro-Cabo, A., Plamann, A.** (2020). Enhancing the seed germination process of Montezuma cypress ( Taxodium mucronatum Ten.). Journal of Forest Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/13416979.2020.1845422
• Bessette, S.**, Hicks, D., Fierro-Cabo, A. (2018). Biological assessment of dune restoration in south Texas. Ocean and Coastal Management, 163, 466-477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2018.06.019
• McInstosh, L. M.**, Fierro-Cabo, A., Benavides, J. A. (2018). Macroinvertebrate assemblages from two sampling methods similarly discriminated freshwater wetlands with different ecosystem status in south Texas. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management. DOI:10.1080/14634988.2018.1505142 https://doi.org/10.1080/14634988.2018.1505142
• Alejandro Fierro-Cabo , Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro (2017). Fish Assemblage Structure Indicates Limited Restoration Progress over a Lustrum of a Severely Degraded Estuary in Southern Tamaulipas, Mexico. Environment and Ecology Research, 5(4), 312 - 324. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2017.050408. https://www.hrpub.org/journals/article_info.php?aid=6096
• Contreras, L., A. Fierro-Cabo and C.E. Cintra-Buenrostro. 2017. Early drivers of Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) leaf litter decomposition in the water column. Hydrobiologia 803: 147-157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3167-6
• Delgado, M., C.E. Cintra-Buenrostro and A. Fierro-Cabo. 2017. Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of Turtle Grass (Thalassia testudinum) in a subtropical estuarine system. Wetlands Ecology and Management 25: 667-681. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-017-9543-1
• Marquez, M.A., A. Fierro-Cabo and C.E. Cintra-Buenrostro. 2016. Can ecosystem functional recovery be traced to decomposition and nitrogen dynamics in estuaries of the Lower Laguna Madre, Texas? Restoration Ecology 25: 618-628. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12469
• Contreras, L., A. Fierro-Cabo and C.E. Cintra Buenrostro. 2016. Decomposition of Black
  Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) leaf litter: calibrating estuarine indicators of functional
  recovery. Proceedings of the 8th Biennial Education and Science Forum, NOAA Educational
  Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions. City University of New York, NY
  (August 28-31, 2016), pp. 233-234.
• Fierro-Cabo, A., Rentfro, A. (2014). First record of the african house gecko ( Hemidactylus mabouia Moreau de Jonnès, 1818) in Texas: is an earlier gecko invader about to be displaced ? Bioinvasions Records. International Journal of Field Research on Biological Invasions, 3(4), 309-312. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/bir.2014.3.4.14
• Mayagoitia-Gonzalez, P. E.**, Fierro-Cabo, A., Valdez, R., Andersen, M., Cowley, D., Steiner, R. (2013). Habitat use of the neotropical otter ( Lontra longicaudis) and human attitudes in southern Tamaulipas, Mexico. Therya, 4(2), 243-256. doi: 10.12933/therya-13-130. Documentation
• Fierro-Cabo, A. (2010). Uso de indicadores ecológicos para evaluar el estado de conservación de humedales costeros en el sur de Tamaulipas. In López Acuña L.M., Bustos Serrano H and J. S. Palleiro Nayar (Ed.), Proceedings ASOCEAN: XV Congreso Nacional de Oceanografía (1st ed.). ASOCEAN
• Castro-Grajales, R.*, Fierro-Cabo, A., Jimenez-Hernandez, S., Zavala-Guerrero, L. (2010). Evaluación ambiental de la línea de costa de Tamaulipas usando un método rápido de campo. In López Acuña L.M., Bustos Serrano H and J. S. Palleiro Nayar (Ed.), Proceedings ASOCEAN: XV Congreso Nacional de Oceanografía (1st ed.). ASOCEAN.
• Fierro, A., Vite, A. (2010). Plants and salt. In Patterson S. and L.V. Lof (Ed.), El Valle, the Rio Grande delta (1st ed.). Brownsville, Texas: Gorgas Science Foundation
• Fierro-Cabo, A. (2009). Indicadores funcionales y estructurales para evaluar el estado de conservación de humedales costeros en el sur de Tamaulipas. Ciencia UAT(13), 61-63. Documentation
• Fierro-Cabo, A., García-Soriano, R., González-Medrano, F., Zamora-Tovar, C., Vázquez-Lule, A. D. 2009. Characterization of national priority mangrove sites in Tamaulipas. In: National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Mexico) Ed. Sitios de manglar con relevancia biológica y con necesidades de rehabilitación ecológica, 1st Edition. Mexico, D.F. http://www.biodiversidad.gob.mx/ecosistemas/manglares2013/sitiosPrioritarios.html)
  
  

Present Courses

• BIOL 5342 - Restoration Ecology
• BIOL 4422- Conservation Biology
• BIOL 4370/5370 - Plant-Animal Interaction
• BIOL 2343 General Biology III