STUDENTS
I am interested in understanding the effects of climate change on plants, from the leaf level to communities. Combining physiological and demographic techniques I want to identify the potential capacity of species to tolerate temperature stresses and how communities will eventually fluctuate in time and space. My study system is the Zingiberales, a charismatic order present mainly in the tropics, with members such as heliconias, costus, banana tree -like plants and others. In more detail, I aim to (1) provide a better understanding of the effects of local plant microhabitat, shared evolutionary history, and geographic origin on thermal responses to global warming, (2) understand the thermal limits of Zingiberales species along an elevational gradient and their vulnerability to climate change, (3) understand the mechanisms that allow a particular species with two morphotypes to colonize different environments with contrasting temperature conditions along an elevational gradient, (4) test the effects of temperature on demographic performance and on physiological traits of two sisters species, and to (5) identify the role of geographic origin and evolutionary history on the photosynthesis adaptability potential of Zingiberales species from around the world to temperature.
TECHNICIANS – COSTA RICA
Gabriel has extensive experience in mass rearing of insects in the laboratory. Also, Gabriel worked during the last five years in many projects along the La Selva - Braulio Carrillo elevational gradient.