Carlos Garcia-Robledo
Ph.D. Candidate
Aldridge Curator
The John C. Gifford Arboretum
University of Miami

Office: Cox Science 170
Phone: +1 (305) 284 53 64
Fax: +1 (305) 284 30 33
e-mail: carlos[at]bio[dot]miami[dot]edu

 

 

 



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Ph.D. Dissertation
  Diet expansions to novel host plants
Ecology and evolution of novel plant-herbivore interactions in Neotropical gingers (Zingiberales).
(more...)

   

Plant-herbivore networks
I am exploring the effects of diet expansions to exotic host plants on the structure of plant-herbivore networks. Are generalist herbivores more prone to expand their diets to novel hosts than specialists?.
   

Quantitative genetics
I am determining if generalist and specialist insect herbivores differ in their genetic vatiation and the potential to adapt to novel hosts.
   

Demography of herbivore diet expansions
I am determining the impact of diet expansions to novel hosts on the demography of generalist and specialist herbivores.
 

References

(These papers are products of my preliminary data collection. Dissertation chapter papers coming soon!).

García–Robledo, C. and C.C. Horvitz (2009). Host plant leaf scents attract rolled-leaf beetles to neotropical gingers (Zingiberales) in a Central American tropical rain forest. . Entomologia experimentalis et applicata.131: 115 -120.

García–Robledo, C. and C. Staines. (2008). Herbivory in gingers from latest Cretaceous to present: is the ichnogenus Cephaloleichnites(Hispinae, Coleoptera) a rolled-leaf beetle?. Journal of Paleontology. . 82: 1035 - 1037.

García–Robledo, C., E. Kuprewicz and C. Staines. (2007). Hispine-like herbivore damage in Canna bangii (Zingiberales, Cannaceae) by Anopsilusweevils (Curculionidae, Baridinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin. 61: 468 - 470.

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Other projects
  Plant-pollinator interactions
Evolution of mating systems, spatial ecology of pollen flow, interplay between mutualististic and antagonistic interactions. (more...)
    Evolution of separate sexes in plants
Pollinators can change the functional gender of plants. This is a key process during the evolution of separate sexes in plants (more...).
 

  References

García–Robledo, C. (2008). Asymmetry in pollen flow promotes gender specialization in morphs of the distylous neotropical herb Arcytophyllum lavarum (Rubiaceae). Evolutionary ecology. 22: 743 - 755.

García–Robledo, C., and F. Mora. (2007). Pollination Biology and the Impact of Floral Display, Pollen Donors and Distyly on Seed Production in Arcytophyllum lavarum (Rubiaceae). Plant biology.9: 453-461.
   

Pollen flow, mutualisms and antagonisms
This project connects the effects of pollinators, seed predators, and forest restoration to the female reproductive success of a terrestrial aroid. (more...)
 

References

García -Robledo, C., G. Kattan, C. Murcia, P. Quintero.2005. Equal and opposite effects of floral offer and spatial distribution on fruit production and pre-dispersal seed predation in Xanthosoma daguense (Araceae). Biotropica. 37: 373-380.

García–Robledo, C., P. Quintero-Marín. F. Mora-Kepfer. 2005. Geographic Variation and Succession of Arthropod Communities in Inflorescences and Infructescences of Xanthosoma (Araceae).Biotropica. 37: 650-656.

García-Robledo, C. , G. Kattan, C. Murcia and P. Quintero. 2004. Beetle pollination and fruit predation in Xanthosoma daguense (Araceae). Journal of Tropical Ecology. 20: 459 – 469.


 
  Complex seed dispersal systems
Seed dispersal can be a complex process. Seed dispersal in the Neotropical ginger Renealmia alpinia (Zingiberaceae) is an example. (more...)
 
References

García–Robledo, C. and E. Kuprewicz (2009).Vertebrate fruit removal and ant seed dispersal in the neotropical ginger Renealmia alpinia (Zingiberaceae). Biotropica. 41: 209 - 214. (Equally authored paper).
  Biological invasions in the tropics
Predicting plant invasions is difficult. A potential approach is trying to understand invasions at a landscape scale. (more...)

References

 García-Robledo, C., and C. Murcia. 2005. Comparative habitat susceptibility to invasion by Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis: Oleaceae) in a tropical Andean landscape. Biological Invasions. 7: 405-415