Photo by Mathias M. Pires
We're all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?
I am fortunate to work with a remarkable group of scientists, students, and technicians. Below is some information about them and their work in my lab. Our lab also hosts undergraduate and visiting students - find more information here.
Post-docs
Erika M. Santana
Postdoc (2022-2024) (co-supervised by Carlos J. Melián, EAWAG, Switzerland) Lab Technician (2019-2022) Project: interface between social and ecological networks Fellowship: Schweizerische Nationalfonds (SNF, Switzerland) and CNPq Website Currently, Erika is a postdoc at Carlos Navas' lab at Universidade de São Paulo |
Kate Maia
Pos-doc (2022-2024) - FAPESP MSc (2014) Undergrad student (2009-2011) Research: structural transitions in ecological networks Fellowship: FAPESP Learn more about her work at our lab: Maia, K. P., F. M. D. Marquitti, I. P. Vaughan, J. Memmott, R. L. G., Raimundo. 2021. Interaction generalisation and demographic feedbacks drive the resilience of plant-insect networks to extinctions. Journal of Animal Ecology. (in press). Maia, K. P., C. Rasmussen, J. M. Olesen, P. R. Guimarães. 2019. Does the sociality of pollinators shape the organisation of pollination networks? Oikos 128: 741-752. Currently, Kate is a postdoc at Thilo Gross' lab at Helmholtz-Institut für Funktionelle Marine Biodiversität an der Universität Oldenburg (HIFMB) |
Debora Rother (Dé)
Postdoc (2020-2022) Research: spatial networks and agroecosystems Fellowship: Royal Society (UK) Website Learn more about her work at our lab: Tavella, J. F. M. Windsor, D. C. Rother, D. M. Evans, P. R. Guimarães, T. P. Palaciosa, M. Loise, M. Devoto. 2022. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment (in press). Windsor, F. M., D. Armenteras, A. P. A. Assis, J. Astegiano, P. C. Santana, L. Cagnolo, L. G. Carvalheiro, C. Emary, H. Fort, X. I. Gonzalez, J. J. N. Kitson, A. C. F. Lacerda, M. Lois, V. Márquez-Velásquez, K. E. Miller, M. Monasterolo, M. Omacini, K. P. Maia, T. P. Palacios, M. J. O. Pocock, S. L. Poggio, I. G. Varassin, D. P. Vázquez, J. Tavella, D. C. Rother, M. Devoto, P. R. Guimarães, D. M. Evans. 2022. Network science: applications for sustainable agroecosystems and food security. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation (in press). Windsor, F. M., J. Tavella, D. C. Rother, R. L. G. Raimundo, M. Devoto, P. R. Guimarães, D. M. Evans. 2021. Identifying plant mixes for multiple ecosystem service provision in agricultural systems using ecological networks. Journal of Applied Ecology: 58: 2770-2782. Currently, Dé is professor in restoration ecology and conservation biology at Universidade Federal de São Carlos |
Ana Paula A. Assis (Paulinha)
Postdoc (2017 - 2021) Research: Genetic correlations and coevolution in ecological networks Fellowship: FAPESP Website Learn more about her work at our lab: Assis, A. P. A., J. N. Thompson, P. C. Santana, P. Jordano, J. Bascompte, P. R. Guimarães. Genetic correlations and ecological networks shape coevolving mutualisms. 2020. Ecology Letters 23: 1789-1799. Cosmo, L.G., A. P. A. Assis, M. M. Pires, M. A. Aguiar, A. Valido, P. Jordano, J. N. Thompson, J. Bascompte, P. R. Guimarães. 2023. Indirect effects shape species fitness in coevolved mutualistic networks. Nature (in press). Currently, Paulinha is professor of genetics at the Universidade de São Paulo |
Rafael L. G. Raimundo (Simprão)
Post-doc (2015-2017) He did his PhD in Ecology - USP (2015) at our lab as well. Research: Species diversification mediated by competition and mutualisms / Adaptive networks and restoration ecology Fellowship: FAPESP. Website. Learn more about his PhD work at: Raimundo, R. L. G., P. R. Guimaraes, D. M. Evans. 2018. Adaptive Networks for Restoration Ecology. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 33: 664-675. Raimundo, R. L. G., J. P. Gibert, D. H. Hembry, P. R. Guimaraes. 2014. Conflicting selection in the course of adaptive diversification: the interplay between mutualism and intraspecific competition. American Naturalist 183: 363-375. [PDF] Currently, Rafael is professor of evolutionary ecology at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba |
Roberta M. Bonaldo (Rô)
Post-doc (2013-2016) Research: ecological interactions in coral reefs Fellowship: FAPESP. Websites: Roberta Bonaldo / Natural History Brazil Productions Learn more about her work: Hoey, A. S., & R. M. Bonaldo. 2018. Biology of Parrotfishes. CRC Press. Bonaldo, R. M.,P. R. Guimarães, M. M. Pires, A. S. Hoey, M. E. Hay. 2017. Small marine protected areas in Fiji provide refuge for reef fish assemblages, feeding groups, and corals. PLoS ONE 12: e0170638. Bonaldo, R. M., A. S. Hoey, DR Bellwood. 2014. The ecosystem roles of parrotfishes on tropical reefs. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review 52: 81-132. Bonaldo, R. M., A. S Grutter, I. Sazima, J. P. Krajewski. 2015. 24/7 service: nocturnal cleaning in a tropical Indo-Pacific reef. Marine Biodiversity 45: 611-612. Currently, Rô is producer and camerawoman in the Natural History Brazil Productions. Rô may be in any place of the world. Indeed, she might be where no person has gone before. |
Julia Astegiano (Juli)
Postdoc (2011-2015) Research: persistence of plant-pollinator networks Fellowship: FAPESP Learn more about her work in the lab at: Astegiano, J., P. R. Guimarães, P. O. Cheptou, M. M. Vidal, C. Y. Mandai, L. Ashworth, F. Massol. 2015. Plant-pollinator network persistence and habitat loss: insights from trait-based metacommunity models. Advances in Ecological Research 53: 201-257. Astegiano, J., F. Massol, M. M. Vidal, P. O. Cheptou, P. R. Guimarães. 2015. Linking Plant Interaction Patterns and Sensitivity to Pollinator Loss. PLoS ONE 10: e0117243 [PDF]. Currently, Juli is a researcher at CONICET |
Esther Sebastián-Gonzalez
Postdoc (2012-2014) Research: macroecology of seed dispersal networks Fellowship: FAPESP Website Learn more about her work in the lab: Sebastián-González, E. 2017. Drivers of species role in avian seed-dispersal mutualistic networks. Journal of Animal Ecology 86: 878-887. Sebastián-González, E, M. M. Pires, C. Donatti, P. R. Guimarães, R. Dirzo. 2017. Species traits and interaction rules shape a species-rich seed dispersal interaction network. Ecology and Evolution 7: 4496-4506. Sebastian-Gonzalez, E., B. Dalsgaard, B. Sandel, P. R. Guimarães. 2015. Macroecological trends in nestedness and modularity of seed-dispersal networks: human impact matters. Global Ecology and Biogeography 24: 293-303. Currently, Esther is Ramón y Cajal fellow at Universitat d'Alacant |
Grad Students
Andrés Rojas
PhD student - Ecology (USP) MBA student - Data Science e Analytics (USP/ESALQ) Interests: networks of competitors Fellowship: CAPES Co-supervisor: Paulinha Assis Publications Rojas, A., D. G. Muniz, D. Solano-Brenes, G. Machado. 2021. Nest-site selection in a neotropical arachnid with exclusive male care: proximate cues and adaptive meaning. Ethology (in press). Rojas, A., D. Solano-Brenes, D. G. Muniz, G. Machado. 2019. Gone with the rain: negative effects of rainfall on male reproductive success in a nest-building arachnid. Behavioral Ecology 30: 1145-1156. |
Lucas Nascimento (Taio)
PhD in Ecology in USP (2024) MBA student - Data Science e Analytics (USP/ESALQ) Interests: frugivory and the evolution of color patterns in birds Fellowship: FAPESP Selected publications: Nascimento, L. F., P. R. Guimarães, R. E. Onstein, W. D. Kissling, M. M. Pires. 2020. Associated evolution of fruit size, fruit color and spines in Neotropical palms. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 33: 858-868. Taio is a postdoc researcher at Ana Paula Assis's lab at the Universidade de São Paulo |
Daniela Coelho (Dani)
Lab Technician (2023 - 2024) PhD in Ecology in USP (2022) Research: Network structure of snake-resource interactions Fellowship: CAPES (PhD) / Lab Technician (FAPESP) More about her work in our lab Pinto-Coelho, D., M. Martins, and P. R. Guimarães. Network analyses reveal the role of large snakes in connecting feeding guilds in a species-rich Amazonian snake community. Ecology and Evolution (in press). Dani is a postdoc researcher at Francisco Dénes's lab at the Universidade de São Paulo |
Pâmela Friedemann
PhD student in Ecology - USP (2014) MBA student - Data Science e Analytics (USP/ESALQ) Interests: individual-based networks of plants and seed dispersers Fellowship: CAPES More about her work in our lab: Friedemann P., M. C. Cortes, E. R. Castro, M. Galetti, P. Jordano, P. R. Guimarães. 2022. The individual-based network structure of palm-seed dispersers is explained by a rainforest gradient. Oikos 2022: 08384. |
Leandro G. Cosmo
PhD in Ecology - USP (2023) Research: fitness consequences of coevolving networks Fellowship: FAPESP More about his work in our lab Cosmo, L.G., A. P. A. Assis, M. M. Pires, M. A. Aguiar, A. Valido, P. Jordano, J. N. Thompson, J. Bascompte, P. R. Guimarães. Indirect effects shape species fitness in coevolved mutualistic networks. Nature (in press). Cosmo, L.G., L. P. Sales, P. R. Guimarães, M. M. Pires. 2023. Mutualistic coevolution and community diversity favor persistence in metacommunities under environmental changes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 290: 20221909. Leandro is a postdoc researcher at Jordi Bascompte's lab at the Universität Zürich |
Pamela C. Santana (Pam)
PhD in Ecology - USP (2022) Research: Interaction asymmetries & coevolution in plant-pollinator networks Fellowship: CNPq Co-supervisor: Paulinha Assis Publications: Santana, P. C.; Iamara-Nogueira, J. Evolução floral e ecologia da polinização. In: Lozano, E.D. et al. (Org.). IX Apostila Botânica no Inverno. 1ed.São Paulo: 2019, v. 9, p. 59-73. Assis, A. P. A., J. N. Thompson, P. C. Santana, P. Jordano, J. Bascompte, P. R. Guimarães. 2020. Genetic correlations and ecological networks shape coevolving mutualisms. Ecology Letters 23: 1789-1799. Aguiar, J. M. R. B. V.; Maciel, A.; Santana, P. C.; Telles, F. J.; Bergamo, P. J.; Oliveira, P. E.; Brito, V. L. G. 2020. Intrafloral color modularity in a bee-pollinated orchid. Frontiers in Plant Science. Pam is a postdoc researcher at Magne Friberg's lab at the Lunds Universitet |
Irina Birskis-Barros
MSc in Ecology - USP (2017) Irina was also our Lab technician (2018) Research: Habitat heterogeneity and the coevolution of Müllerian mimetism patterns. Fellowship: CNPq (MSc) and FAPESP (Lab technician). Learn more about her MSc work: Birskis-Barros, I., A. V. L. Freitas, P. R. Guimarães. Habitat generalist species constrain the diversity of mimicry rings in heterogeneous habitats. Scientific Reports 11: 5072. Currently, Irina is a PhD student at University of California Merced |
Lucas Medeiros (Pinguim)
MSc in Ecology - USP (2017) Pinguim dis his undergrad studies (2013-2014) at our lab and he was also our lab technician (2018) Research: Gene flow and coevolution in mutualistic networks. Fellowship: FAPESP. Website Learn more about his MSc work: Medeiros, L. P., G. Garcia, , J. N. Thompson, P. R. Guimaraes. 2018. The geographic mosaic of coevolution in mutualistic networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 115: 12017-12022. Currently, Lucas is a post-doc at the University of California Santa Cruz |
Marília Gaiarsa (Má)
PhD in Ecology - USP (2017) Má was also our lab manager (2010-2012). Research: Ecological consequences of cascading effects in mutualistic networks. Fellowship: FAPESP. Website Learn more about her PhD work at: Gaiarsa, M. P., P. R. Guimaraes. 2019. Interaction strength promote robustness in mutualistic networks against cascading effects. Scientific Reports 9: 676. Ponisio, L.C., M. P. Gaiarsa, C. Kremen. 2017. Opportunistic attachment assembles plant-pollinator communities. Ecology Letters 20: 1261-1272 [PDF] . Currently Má is professor at University of California Merced |
Gustavo B. Ferreira (Ari)
PhD in Ecology - USP (2017, co-supervised student, supervisor: Tiago B. Quental) Research: Macroevolutionary dynamics and bird diets. Fellowship: FAPESP. Website Learn more about his PhD work at: Burin, G, P. R. Guimarães, T. B. Quental. 2021. Macroevolutionary stability predicts interaction patterns of species in seed dispersal networks. Science 372: 682-683. Burin, G., L. R. V. Alencar, J. Chang, M. E. Alfaro, T. B. Quental. 2018. How well can we estimate diversity dynamics for clades in diversity decline? Systematic Biology 68: 47-62. Burin, G., W. D. Kissling, P. R. Guimarães , C. H. Sekercioglu, T. B. Quental. 2016. Omnivory in birds is a macroevolutionary sink. Nature Communications 7: 11250. Currently, Ari is Leverhulme postdoctoral fellow at the Natural History Museum in London. |
Cecília S. Andreazzi
PhD in Ecology - USP (2016) Research: coevolution in antagonistic networks Fellowship: CAPES. Learn more about her PhD work at: Andreazzi, C. S., J. Astegiano, P. R. Guimarães. 2020. Coevolution by different functional mechanisms modulates the structure and dynamics of antagonistic and mutualistic networks. Oikos 129:224-237. Andreazzi, C., P. R. Guimarães, C. J. Melián. 2018. Eco-evolutionary feedbacks promote fluctuating selection and long-term stability of antagonistic networks. Proceedings of Royal Society B London 285: 20172596. Andreazzi, C. S., J. N. Thompson, P. R. Guimarães. 2017. Network structure and selection asymmetry drive coevolution in species-rich antagonistic interactions. American Naturalist 190: 99-115. Stella, M., C. S. Andreazzi, S. Selakovic, A. Goudarzi, A. Antonioni. 2017. Parasite spreading in spatial ecological multiplex networks. Journal of Complex Networks 5: 486-511. Currently, Cecilia is a researcher at Universidad Complutense de Madrid |
Vinícius Bastazini
PhD in Ecology - UFRGS (2015) - co-supervised student (supervisor: Valerio Pillar) Research: phylogeny and functional diversity of seed dispersal networks Fellowship: CAPES. Learn more about his PhD work at: Bastazini, V. G. A., V. J. Debastiani, B. O. Azambuja, P. R. Guimarães, V. D. Pillar. 2019. Loss of generalist plant species and functional diversity decreases the robustness of a seed dispersal network. Environmental Conservation 46:52-58. Bastazini, V. A. G. P.M.A. Ferreira, B.O. Azambuja, G. Casas, V.J. Debastiani, P.R. Guimarães, V.D.P. Pillar. 2017. Untangling the tangled bank: a novel method for partitioning the effects of phylogenies and traits on ecological networks. Evolutionary Biology 44:312-324. Currently, Vinícius is postdoctoral fellow at Universidade de Évora |
Danilo Muniz
PhD in Ecology - USP (2015) - co-supervised student (supervisor: Glauco Machado) Research: sexual networks and spatial organization Fellowship: FAPESP Learn more about his PhD work at: Muniz, D. G., M. L. Baena, R. Macías-Ordóñez, R, G. Machado. 2018. Males, but not females, perform strategic mate searching movements between host plants in a leaf beetle with scramble competition polygyny. Ecology and Evolution 8: 5828–5836. Muniz, D.G., G. Machado. 2015. Experimental limitation of oviposition sites affects the mating system of an arachnid with resource defence polygyny. Animal Behavior 109:23–31. Muniz, D. G., P. R. Guimarães Jr, B. A. Buzatto, G. Machado. 2015. A sexual network approach to sperm competition in a species with alternative mating tactics. Behavioral Ecology 26:121–129. Currently, Danilo is a data scientist at Santander Bank |
Flavia Marquitti (Mari)
PhD in Ecology - USP (2015) MSc in Ecology - Unicamp (2011) Research: interaction parasites & coevolution / bat-plant networks Fellowship: FAPESP/CNPq Additional information in her website: Learn more about her PhD work: Marquitti, F. M. D., P. R. Guimaraes, M. M. Pires, L. F. Bittencourt. 2014. MODULAR: Software for the Autonomous Computation of Modularity in Large Network Sets. Ecography: 37: 221-224. Currently, Fla is professor in Genetics at Unicamp |
Mariana M. Vidal (Mari)
PhD in Ecology - USP (2014) Research: conservation of seed dispersal networks Fellowship: FAPESP Learn more about her PhD work: Vidal, M. M., E. Hasui, M. A. Pizo, J. Y. Tamashiro, W. R. Silva, P. R. Guimaraes. 2014. Frugivores at higher risk of extinction are the key elements of a mutualistic network. Ecology 95: 3440-3447. [PDF] [F1000-Recommendation]. Vidal, M. M.*, M. M. Pires*, P. R. Guimaraes. 2013. Large vertebrates as the missing components of seed dispersal networks. Biological Conservation 163: 42-48. * contributed equally. Currently, Mari is postdoc at the Fiocruz |
Mathias M. Pires
PhD in Ecology - USP (2014) I also co-supervised Mathias in his MSc (Ecology - Unicamp, 2010), supervisor: Sérgio F. dos Reis) Research: Megafaunal extinctions and ecological networks / individual-based networks Fellowship: FAPESP Website. Learn more about his PhD work: Pires, M. M., P. L. Koch, R. A. Farina, M. A. M. de Aguiar, S. F. dos Reis, P. R. Guimaraes . 2015. Pleistocene megafaunal interaction networks became more vulnerable after human arrival. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 282: 20151367. [PDF]. Pires, M. M., M. Galetti, C. I. Donatti, M. A. Pizo, R. Dirzo, P. R. Guimaraes. 2014. Reconstructing past ecological networks: the reconfiguration of seed-dispersal interactions after megafaunal extinction. Oecologia 175: 1247-1256.[PDF] Pires, M. M., P. R. Guimaraes. 2013. Interaction intimacy organizes networks of antagonistic interactions in different ways. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 10: 20120649.[PDF] Pires, M.M., P.I. Prado, P. R. Guimaraes. 2011. Do Food Web Models Reproduce the Structure of Mutualistic Networks? PLoS ONE 6: e27280. Currently, Mathias is professor in ecology at Unicamp |
Paula Lemos-Costa (Paulinha)
MSc in Ecology - USP (2013) Research: competition and niche partitioning within populations Fellowship: FAPESP. Website. Learn more about her MSc work: Lemos-Costa, P., M. M. Pires, M. S. Araujo, M. A. M. de Aguiar, P. R. Guimarães. Network analyses support the role of prey preferences in shaping resource use patterns within five animal populations. Oikos 125:492-501. Currently, Paulinha is postdoc at the University of Chicago |
Wesley Dáttilo
MSc in Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation (2012) - UFMT - co-supervised student (supervisor: Thiago J. Izzo). Research: ant-plant networks Website Learn more about his MSc work: Dattilo, W., F. M. D. Marquitti, P. R. Guimarães, T. J. Izzo. 2014. The structure of ant-plant ecological networks: is abundance enough? Ecology 95: 475-485. [PDF]. Dattilo, W., P. R. Guimarães, T. J. Izzo. 2013. Spatial structure of ant-plant mutualistic networks. Oikos 122: 1643-1648. Currently, Wesley is a researcher at the Instituto de Ecología, Xalapa |
Justin D. Yeakel
PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - UC Santa Cruz (I was external member of his commitee (UCSC's members of the commitee: Paul Koch, Marc Mangel and Jim Estes) Research: multiple (and awesome!) aspects of predator-prey networks Website Learn more about his PhD work: Yeakel J. D*, M. M. Pires*, L. Rudolf*, N. J. Dominy, P. L. Koch, P. R. Guimarães, T. Gross. 2014. Collapse of an ecological network in Ancient Egypt. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 111: 14472-14477. *contributed equally. [PDF] Yeakel, J. D., P. R. Guimarães, H. Bocherens, P. L. Koch. 2013. The impact of climate change on the structure of Pleistocene mammoth steppe food webs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 280: 20130239. Yeakel, J. D., P. R. Guimarães, M. Novak, K. Fox-Dobbs, P. L. Koch. 2012. Probabilistic patterns of interaction: The effects of link-strength variability on food-web structure. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9: 3219-3228. [PDF] Currently, Justin is professor at the UC Merced |
Mauricio Cantor (Cabelo)
MSc in Ecology - UFSC (2011) - co-supervised student (supervisor: Paulo C. Simões-Lopes) Research: social organization of dolphins Sotalia guianensis. Website Learn more about his MSc work: Cantor, M., L. L. Wedekin, P. R Guimarães, F. G. Daura-Jorge, M. R. Rossi-Santos, P. C. Simoes-Lopes. 2012. Disentangling social networks from spatiotemporal dynamics: the temporal structure of a dolphin society. Animal Behaviour 84:641-651. Currently, Cabelo is Professor at the Oregon State University |
Jean P. Gibert
MSc Student in Ecology (2010 - 2011) - Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay - Jean left the lab/MSc for an amazing opportunity to do a PhD at Nebraska-Lincoln, USA. Research: evolutionary dynamics of coevolved antagonisms. Website. Learn more about his work in the lab: Gibert, J. P., M. M. Pires, J. N. Thompson, P. R. Guimarães. 2013. The spatial structure of antagonistic species affects coevolution in predictable ways. American Naturalist 182: 578-591. [PDF]. Currently, Jean is Assistant Professor at the Duke University |
Julieta Genini
PhD in Botany - Unesp Rio Claro (2011) - co-supervised student (supervisor: Patricia Morellato) Research: seasonal patterns in plant-pollinator interactions Learn more about her PhD work: Genini, J., L. P. C. Morellato, P. R. Guimarães, J. M. Olesen. 2010. Cheaters in mutualism networks. Biology Letters 6:494-497. [PDF] Genini, J., P. R. Guimarães, M. Sazima, I. Sazima, L. P. C. Morellato. 2021. Temporal organization among pollination systems in a tropical seasonal forest. The Science of Nature (Naturwissenschaften) (in press). Currently, Juli is a teacher in Germany |
Long-term visiting scholars/students
Guilherme Garcia (Pato)
Visiting scholar (2017) Learn more about his work in the lab: Medeiros, L. P., G. Garcia, , J. N. Thompson, P. R. Guimaraes. 2018. The geographic mosaic of coevolution in mutualistic networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 115: 12017-12022. Currently, Pato is data analyst in one of Brazil's main newspapers. |
Undergrad Students
Anna C. Almeida
Undergrad studies at USP (2018-2019, co-supervised student, supervisor Ana P. A. Assis) Project: Phenotypic variation within populations and network structure. Currently, Anna is a PhD student at University of California Merced under supervision of Justin Yeakel and Marília P. Gaiarsa. |