Herramienta de Modelado Basado en Agentes para Estudio de Efectos de la Deforestación en Biodiversidad

Understanding how deforestation and changes in habitat boundaries affect biodiversity is essential
for developing conservation solutions. These topics are central to biology and ecology programs, where students
learn to apply their knowledge in real-world conservation efforts. Higher education plays a crucial role
in strengthening this understanding, particularly in life sciences programs. Given the complexity of ecological
processes in altered landscapes, agent-based modeling provides an interactive and engaging way to simplify
and visualize the effects of land use changes. In this study, we integrate Amazonian anurans, highly sensitive
to temperature and humidity fluctuations, with an Agent-based model to simulate the impacts of deforestation,
habitat restoration, and land abandonment on species survival and movement. Their ectothermic nature and
dependence on pulmocutaneous respiration make them especially vulnerable to the drier and more variable conditions
caused by deforestation. Integrating this model into conservation biology courses has enhanced learning
by encouraging independent exploration, both in and out of the classroom. This tool, an agent-based model,
is particularly suited for university-level ecology and conservation courses, and can also serve as an effective
awareness tool in environmental education and decision-making workshops, highlighting the negative effects
of human-made habitat changes on biodiversity.