Research Overview
One of my research interests focuses on the evolutionary ecology and molecular phylogenetics of ants, with a particular emphasis on ant-plant symbioses. Ants are key ecosystem players, and understanding their evolutionary and ecological roles sheds light on major topics of biology and evolution. My work has explored ant-plant relationships through a combination of natural history, systematics, and cutting-edge molecular tools.
I am studying ant-plant symbioses using the Myrmelachista system as a model. This group of Neotropical ants is involved in complex mutualisms with understory plants (mainly nesting inside species in the avocado family). My recent study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, revealed an extreme level of convergent evolution within those ant-plant mutualisms. You can read more about it here and here. I am currently expanding this project and including whole-genome sequencing to uncover the genomic foundations/signatures underlying convergent/parallel evolution in this group. I am also starting to explore how Myrmelachista ant species adapt to environmental pressures, using functional trait analyses and long-term monitoring of their plant hosts.
Stay tuned for incoming news on these projects!
Busy, busy Myrmelachista workers cleaning the surfaces of their understory plant host. Tidy little cuties!