Eduardo Calixto's research page
Welcome to Calixto's research page
I am a postdoctoral researcher associate in Dr. Hahn's lab (https://plant-herbivore-interactions.net) at the University of Florida, US. I am broadly interested in ecological studies from different organizational levels on the individual-community spectrum. My main research interests are related to the study of ecological interactions, especially evaluating how biotic and abiotic variables can influence the outcomes of these interactions in time and space. I have also contributed to different research topics (please check Research and Publications). As an underrepresented ethnic minority (URM), I have strongly joined forces and struggled to promote DEI in my research, teaching and life.
My Research
Central to ecology is understanding how extrinsic and intrinsic factors to plant-animal interactions influence species diversity patterns and ecosystem dynamics. For decades, ecologists have attempted to understand how environmental factors shape community structure through their impacts on biotic interactions, and how variation in the strength and direction (antagonism-mutualism spectrum) of biotic interactions can influence ecosystem dynamics. Even more important, climate change and anthropogenic disturbances are directly and indirectly modifying the outcomes of these plant-animal interactions, which can have major consequences to biodiversity patterns and ecosystem structure. Within this view, to better understand ecosystem dynamics it is fundamental to study the evolutionary ecology of plant-animal interactions, since the strength of these interactions is highly variable and whose outcomes are dependent on different conditions. The aim of my research is to understand how extrinsic and intrinsic factors to plant-animal interactions influence the ecology and evolution of such interactions, and how these interactions in turn can influence ecosystem dynamics. My research is focused in two main topics: 1) Evolutionary ecology of ant-plant interactions, and 2) Density-dependent effects on plant-animal interactions. In addition, I have also started to work on the following topics: 3) Climate change and anthropogenic disturbance effects, and 4) Pollination-herbivory balance. Besides these topics, I have collaborated in different areas and with contributors from different parts in the world. Please, check my Publications to have a complete overview about my research.
**Click on photos to know more about each research topic**
Publications
Calixto, ES; Del-Claro, K ; Lange, D; Bronstein, J 2023
Time course of inducibility of indirect responses in an ant-defended plant
-
Calixto, E.S.; Lange, D.; Bronstein, J.; Del-Claro, K. Time course of inducibility of indirect responses in an ant-defended plant. Ecology. 2023.
-
Novaes†, L. R.; Calixto, E.S.; Alves-De-Lima, L.; Oliveira, M. L.; Del-Claro, K; Torezan-Silingardi, H. M. Testing direct and indirect road edge effects on reproductive components of anemochoric plants. Landscape And Urban Planning, 218: 104291.
-
Calixto, E.S.; Lange, D.; Moreira, X.; Del-Claro, K. Plant species-specificity of ant-plant mutualistic interactions: Differential predation of termites by Camponotus crassus on five species of extrafloral nectaried plants. Biotropica. 2021.
-
Calixto, E.S.; Lange, D.; Del-Claro, K. Net benefits of a mutualism: influence of the quality of extrafloral nectar on the colony fitness of a mutualistic ant. Biotropica, 53(3): 846-856, 2021.
-
Calixto, E.S.; Novaes, L.; Santos, D.; Lange, D.; Moreira, X.; Del-Claro, K. Climate seasonality drives ant-plant-herbivore interactions via plant phenology in an extrafloral nectary-bearing plant community. Journal of Ecology, 109(2): 639-651, 2021.
-
Lange, D.; Calixto, E.S.; Del-Claro, K.; Stefani, V. Spatiotemporal niche-based mechanisms support a stable coexistence of ants and spiders in an extrafloral nectary-bearing plant community. Journal of Animal Ecology, 90(6): 1570-1582, 2021.
-
Calixto, E.S.; Lange, D.; Bronstein, J.; Torezan-Silingardi, H. M.; Del-Claro, K. Optimal Defense Theory in an ant-plant mutualism: extrafloral nectar as an induced defense is maximized in the most valuable plant structures. Journal of Ecology, 109(1): 167-178, 2021.
-
Novaes†, L. R.; Calixto, E.S.; Oliveira, M. L.; Lima, L. A.; Almeida, O.; Torezan-Silingardi, H. M. Environmental variables drive phenological events of anemocoric plants and enhance diaspore dispersal potential: A new wind-based approach. Science Of The Total Environment 730: 139039, 2020.
-
Rahman, I. U.; Afzal, A.; Iqbal, Z.; Hart, R.; Abdallah, E. F.; Alqarawi, A. A.; Alsubeie, M. S.; Calixto, E. S.; Ijaz, F.; Ali, N.; Kausar, R.; Shah, M.; Bussmann, R. W. (2020) Response of plant physiological attributes to altitudinal gradient: plant adaptation to temperature variation in the Himalayan region. Science of the Total Environment 706: 135714.