CANCINO LOPEZ, RODOLFO JONATHAN

Dr. Rodolfo Jonathan Cancino López is a Mexican biologist, entomologist, and ecologist specializing in biodiversity science, community ecology, and the taxonomy of terrestrial arthropods. He is currently a SECIHTI Postdoctoral Researcher at the Faculty of Forest Sciences of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, with a temporary appointment at the Institute of Biology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He holds a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Sciences and Arts of Chiapas and both M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Biological Sciences from UNAM.

His research focuses on the diversity, distribution, taxonomy, and community structure of arthropods, particularly insects and soil fauna. His work has addressed ecological and biogeographic patterns across altitudinal gradients, tropical and temperate forests, urban ecosystems, and conservation areas throughout Mexico. He has conducted extensive research on Neuroptera, Scolytinae, Collembola, Acari, Lepidoptera, and other arthropod groups, integrating taxonomic, ecological, and biodiversity approaches to understand the mechanisms shaping species richness and community assembly.

Dr. Cancino López has participated in numerous national and international research projects, including studies on Neuroptera biodiversity in Mexico, soil biodiversity monitoring, and the Atlas of Soil Biodiversity of Mexico. He has authored and co-authored scientific articles in international journals such as Insects, Diversity, PLOS ONE, ZooKeys, Zootaxa, Biologia, and the International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. He has presented his research at international conferences in Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Brazil, and has completed research stays at the Florida State Collection of Arthropods and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.

In addition to his research activities, he contributes to scientific training, outreach, and biodiversity conservation through teaching, mentoring students, organizing academic events, and providing specialized courses on arthropod taxonomy, soil fauna identification, and biodiversity analysis. He also serves as a reviewer for several international scientific journals. His current research interests include soil biodiversity, arthropod community ecology, biodiversity monitoring, conservation biology, and the ecological processes driving species diversity across spatial and temporal scales.