Francisco Javier Flores de Santiago

PhD Student

Hometown: Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México

Research Supervisor: Jinfei Wang, John M. Kovacs

Research Interests

My previous research had been focused on physical and chemical oceanography, specifically linking oceanographic processes in dynamic marine regions through very energetic zones. My current interests include coastal oceanography, environmental monitoring, tropical chemical wetlands assessment, remote sensing modeling, isotopes geochemistry, hyperspectral analysis and river geomorphology. Some of the techniques that I commonly employ include multivariate statistical modeling, assessment of remotely sensed imagery from satellites (ALOS PALSAR & AVNIR), leaf pigment analysis and total organic carbon in water. My research has focused primarily on tropical riverine forested wetlands (mangroves) of the Mexican Pacific. 

Publications (submitted/in press/accepted)

                  Flores-de-Santiago F., Santamaría del Ángel E., González Silvera A., Kovacs J.M. (submitted). Identifying seasonal spatial patterns of Chlorophyll-a and Sea Surface Temperature in a very tidal mixing zone using MODIS-Aqua. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences.

            Flores-de-Santiago F., Kovacs J.M., Lafrance P. (in press). An object-oriented classification method for mapping mangroves in Guinea, West Africa, using multipolarized ALOS PALSAR L-band data. International Journal of Remote Sensing.

                       Zhang C., Liu Y., Kovacs J.M., Flores Verdugo F., Flores-de-Santiago F., Chen K. (in press). Spectral response to varying levels of leaf pigments collected from a degraded mangrove forest. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing.

                    Flores-de-Santiago F., Kovacs J.M., Flores-Verdugo F. (2012). Seasonal changes in leaf chlorophyll a content and morphology in a sub-tropical mangrove forest of the Mexican Pacific. Marine Ecology Progress Series 444: 57-68. (http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps09474).

                       Kovacs J.M., Liu Y., Zhang C., Flores Verdugo F., Flores-de-Santiago F. (2011). A field based statistical approach for validating a remotely sensed mangrove forest classification scheme of Isla La Palma, Sinaloa, Mexico. Wetlands Ecology and Management 19: 409-421. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11273-011-9225-3).

                   Lu X.X., Kovacs J.M., Zhang C., Lafrance P., Flores-de-Santiago F. (2011). Applications of ALOS PALSAR data for mangrove monitoring and mapping: Examples from Mexico & Africa. Report PI No. 423 Japan Aerospace & Exploration Agency (6 pgs).

                    Kovacs J.M., Flores-de-Santiago F., Bastien J., Lafrance P. (2010). An assessment of mangroves in Guinea, West Africa, using a field and remote sensing based approach. Wetlands 30: 773-782. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13157-010-0065-3).

                   Kovacs, J.M., King, J.M.L., Flores-de-Santiago, F., Flores-Verdugo F. (2009). Evaluating the condition of a mangrove forest of the Mexican Pacific based on an estimated leaf area index mapping approach. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 157: 137-149. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0523-z)

                    Flores-de-Santiago, F., Santamaría-del-Ángel, E., González-Silvera, A., Martínez-Díaz-de-León, A., Millán-Núñez, R., and Kovacs J.M. (2007). Assessing dynamic micro-regions in the Great Islands of the Gulf of California based on MODIS aqua imagery products. Proceedings of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. Vol. 6680: 668010. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.732574).

Selected Grants and Awards

Academic Award-highest grade in M.Sc. Coastal Oceanography, University of Baja California, 2007

CONACyT M.Sc. Scholarship ($14,600 USD), University of Baja California, 2006

Academic Award-highest grade in B.Sc. Marine Sciences, University of Baja California, 2005 Technical Advisor for the University Council, 2004

Presentations

Zhang C., Flores-de-Santiago F., Lu X.X. and Kovacs J.M. 2009. “Phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar use in tropical coastal wetland monitoring”. Association of American Geographers. Las Vegas, USA.

Flores-de-Santiago F. and Kovacs J.M. 2009. “Remote sensing assessment of mangrove entities along the islands of Forecariah prefecture, Western Africa”. XI Workshop about the conservation and management of Wetlands. Arizona Wildlife Department and Pronatura, México.

Flores-de-Santiago F. and Kovacs J.M. 2008. “Assessments of the mangrove associations in Yelitono and Mabala Islands Guinea, Western Africa”. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, México.

King J.M.L., Flores-de-Santiago F., Zhang C., Flores-Verdugo F. and Kovacs J.M. 2008. “Optimizing the classification of the mangrove forest of Isla la Palma using optical and radar imagery”. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, México.

Zhang C., King J.M.L., Flores-de-Santiago F.Flores-Verdugo F. and Kovacs J.M. 2008. “Handheld and space-borne hyperspectral measurements of Isla la Palma mangrove forest”. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, México.

Flores-de-Santiago F., Santamaría-del-Ángel, E., González-Silvera, A., Martínez-Díaz-de-León, A., Millán-Núñez, R. 2007. “Dynamics regions in the Great Islands based on MODIS Aqua”. XI Congreso de la Asociación de Investigadores del Mar de Cortés y V Symposium Internacional del Mar de Cortés. Hermosillo, Sonora, México

Flores-de-Santiago F., Santamaría-del-Ángel, E., González-Silvera, A., Martínez-Díaz-de-León, A., Millán-Núñez, R., Kovacs, J.M. 2007. “Assessing dynamics micro-regions in   the Great Islands of the Gulf of California base don MODIS Aqua imagery products”.>SPIE Coastal Ocean Remote Sensing. San Diego, California.

Flores-de-Santiago F. 2003. “Importance of mangrove ecosystems in Mexican shores”. Faculty of Science, Autonomous University of Baja California, México.

Flores-de-Santiago F, .Flores-Verdugo F., and Agraz-Hernández, C. 2003. “Experimental planting of mangrove forest”. 10^th National Week of Science and Technology. Ensenada, México.

Work Contracts

CHALA MAR S.A. DE C.V. Restoration of mangrove and other wetlands ecosystems using hydrological manipulation in Paraman-Xola, México. I was in charge of the field work in micro-topography and forest structure. January 2009

RIO TINTO IRON ORE SIMFER S.A.; SNC-LAVALIN; ENVIRONNEMENT ILLIMITE Inc. Guinea Simandou Project Western Africa – Port Site – Marine Study 2008. Mangrove Specialist in Field Sampling of Mangrove Forest March-April 2008.

TROPICAL ESTATES C.V. PUNTA CAREY. Mangrove assessment (structure and distribution) and other wetlands areas from Predio Punta Carey in the Solidaridad shore (Quintana Roo): Environmental considerations for its management, conservation and sustainability. Quintana Roo, México. May 2008.

CONSULTORES EN GESTION, POLITICA Y PLANIFICACION AMBIENTAL (GPPA S.C.). Mangrove environmental characterization and zonification at Residencial Punta Nizuc, Mexican Caribbean. Promotora Nizuc A. de C.V. I was part of the crew in the field work. October 2008.

Oceanographic Cruiser on “Alguita Vessel”. August 11-14, 2004. Project title “Waste water’s pollutions and sub-products of infection between Tijuana and Ensenada, B.C.” Project number 1113 National Council of Science and Technology CONACyT.

Why Western

The gymnasium at the University of Western Ontario is just amazing. You can find a lot of different recreational and competitive activities. With regards to the Department of Geography, the work from the administrative staff is just incredible, the support from my supervisors and professors is great, and despite the fact that I came from a science-base with engineering background, being here surrounded by sociologists and human geographers open my mind in new ways of knowledge.