My research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of plant-animal relationships. More specifically, I study mutualistic and antagonistic interactions to understand the way associations arise, organize, and coevolve. In addition to basic research, I am also interested in the application of evolutionary ecology to improve our understanding of the factors involved in the loss of biological diversity. In the next page you can find a more detailed description of my research.

Research interests

Full Professor

Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas

Facultad de Ciencias

Universidad de Chile

Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile

Email: rmedel@uchile.cl

Fono: (562)978-7355

Fax: (562)272-7363

CURRENT GRANTS

2007 - 2010. The structure of mutualistic networks in fragmented forests. Anillo de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnologia, PBCT, Chile. Collaboration: Ramiro Bustamante & Víctor Marín.


2008 - 2009. Biological invasions: their role in plant-animal interactions. AECI, Spain. Collaboration: Luis Navarro.


2007 - 2010. Invasions and herbivory: genetic processes and ecological causes of success in an invasive plant species. Ecology and Conservation Biology, Fundación BBVA, Spain. Collaboration: José M. Gómez & Sharon Strauss.


2008 - 2010. Flower signals and plant-pollinator interactions. CONICYT-DAAD, Germany. Collaboration: Martin Schaefer.


2009 - 2010. Demographic end evolutionary consequences of parasitism in plants: a hierarchical perspective at the species, population and phenotype levels. U. Chile - CSIC, Spain. Collaboration: María Begoña García.


2009 - 2011. Effects of global change on plant-animal interactions in high altitude ecosystems. CYTED-UNESCO. PI: Alfonso Valiente-Banuet.


2009-2010. The importance of pollination for the conservation of flowering plants in the Maulino forest. Explora Education. Collaboration: Tami Hussein & Ramiro Bustamante.

Rodrigo Medel

Recent Publications (2000-2010)


Medel, R. 2000. Assessment of parasite-mediated selection in a host-parasite system in plants. Ecology 81: 1554-1564.


Botto-Mahan, C., R. Medel, R. Ginocchio & G. Montenegro. 2000. Factors affecting the circular distribution of the leafless mistletoe Tristerix aphyllus (Loranthaceae) on the cactus Echinopsis chilensis. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 73: 525-531.


Medel, R. 2001. Assessment of correlational selection in tolerance and resistance traits in a host plant-parasitic plant interaction. Evolutionary Ecology 15: 37-52.


Medel, R., C. Botto-Mahan, C. Smith-Ramirez, M. A. Mendez, C. G. Ossa, L. Caputo & W. L. Gonzáles. 2002. Historia natural cuantitativa de una relación parásito-hospedero: el sistema Tristerix - cactáceas en Chile semiárido. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 75: 127-140.


Martinez, G. & R. Medel. 2002. Indirect interactions in a microcosm-assembled cladoceran community: implications for apparent competition. Oikos 97: 111-115. (MSc thesis G. Martinez)


Medel, R., C. Botto-Mahan & M. K. Arroyo. 2003. Pollinator-mediated selection on the nectar guide phenotype in the Andean monkey flower, Mimulus luteus. Ecology 84: 1721-1732.


Botto-Mahan, C., N. Pohl & R. Medel. 2004. Nectar guide fluctuating asymmetry does not relate to female fitness in Mimulus luteus. Plant Ecology 174: 347-352.


Medel, R., E. Vergara, A. Silva & M. K. Arroyo. 2004. Effects of vector behavior and host resistance on mistletoe aggregation. Ecology 85: 120-126.


Gonzáles, W.L., P.P. Caballero & R. Medel. 2005. Galler-induced reduction of shoot growth and fruit production in the shrub Colliguaja integerrima (Euphorbiaceae). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 78: 393-399.


Carvallo, G. & R. Medel. 2005. The modular structure of the floral phenotype in Mimulus luteus var. luteus (Phrymaceae). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 78: 665-672. (MSc thesis G. Carvallo)


Pérez, F., M.T. Kalin-Arroyo, R. Medel  & M.A. Hershkovitz. 2006. Ancestral reconstruction of flower morphology and pollination systems in Schizanthus (Solanaceae). American Journal of Botany 93: 1029-1038. (PhD thesis F. Perez)


Botto-Mahan, C., P. Cattan & R. Medel. 2006. Chagas disease parasites induce behavioural changes in triatomine vectors. Acta Tropica 98: 219-223.


Pohl, N., G. Carvallo, C. Botto-Mahan & R. Medel. 2006. Non-additive effects of flower damage and hummingbird pollination on the fecundity of Mimulus luteus. Oecologia 149: 648-655. (MSc thesis N. Pohl)


Gonzáles, W.L., L.H. Suárez & R. Medel. 2007. Outcrossing increases infection success in the holoparasitic mistletoe Tristerix aphyllus (Loranthaceae). Evolutionary Ecology 21: 173-183. (PhD thesis W. Gonzáles)


Botto-Mahan C. & R. Medel. 2007. What does determine gonad weight in the wild kissingbug Mepraia spinolai ? Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 102: 232-235.


Gonzáles, W.L., L.H. Suárez, R. Guiñez & R. Medel. 2007. Phenotypic plasticity in the holoparasitic mistletoe Tristerix aphyllus (Loranthaceae): consequences of trait variation for successful establishment. Evolutionary Ecology 21: 431-444. (PhD thesis W. Gonzáles)


Pérez, F., M.T. Kalin-Arroyo & R. Medel. 2007. Phylogenetic analysis of floral integration in Schizanthus (solanaceae): do pollinators truly increase the integration of corolla traits? Journal of Evolutionary Biology 20: 1730-1738. (PhD thesis F. Perez)


Medel. R., A. Valiente, C. Botto-Mahan, G. Carvallo, F. Pérez, N. Pohl & L. Navarro. 2007. The influence of insects and hummingbirds on the geographical variation of the flower phenotype in Mimulus luteus. Ecography 30: 812-818.


Botto-Mahan, C., C.G. Ossa & R. Medel. 2008. Direct and indirect pathways of fitness-impact in a protozoan-infected kissingbug. Physiological Entomology 33: 25-30.


Medel, R. 2008. The evolution of evolutionary thinking in Chile. Evolution, Education & Outreach 1: 318-322.


Navarro, L. & R. Medel. 2009. Relationship between floral tube length and nectar robbing in Duranta erecta L. (Verbenaceae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 96: 392-398.


Medel, R. & A. Veloso. 2009. Establecimiento y propagación del Darwinismo en Chile: recepción y elaboración de las ideas. Gayana 73: 7-18.


Medel, R., M.A. Aizen & R. Zamora (Eds.). 2009. Ecología y evolución de interacciones planta-animal. Editorial Universitaria, Santiago de Chile. 298 pp. Web Page


Carvallo, G. & R. Medel. 2010. Effects of herkogamy and inbreeding on the mating system of Mimulus luteus in the absence of pollinators. Evolutionary Ecology 24: 509-522. (Msc thesis G. Carvallo)


Ramos-Jiliberto, R., D. Domínguez, C. Espinoza, G. López, F.S. Valdovinos, R.O. Bustamante & R. Medel. 2010. Topological change of Andean plant-pollinator networks along an altitudinal gradient. Ecological Complexity: in press.


Medel, R., M.A. Mendez, C.G. Ossa & C. Botto-Mahan. 2010. Arms-race coevolution: the local and geographic structure of a host-parasite interaction. Evolution, Education and Outreach: in press.


Thompson, J.N. & R. Medel. 2010. Coevolution and the web of life. Evolution, Education and Outreach: in press. (Introduction to the especial issue).


Murúa, M., C. Espinoza, R.O. Bustamante, V.H. Marín & R. Medel. 2010. Does human-induced habitat transformation modify pollinator-mediated selection? a case study in Viola portalesia (Violaceae) Oecologia: in press. (MSc thesis M. Murúa)


Nattero, J., A.A. Cocucci & R. Medel. 2010. Pollinator-mediated selection in a specialized pollination system: the role of attraction and mechanical-fit floral traits. Functional Ecology: in review. (PhD thesis J. Nattero)


Cuartas-Domínguez, M. & R. Medel. 2010. Pollinator-mediated selection and experimental manipulation of the flower phenotype in Chloraea bletioides (Orchidaceae). Functional Ecology: in review. (MSc thesis M. Cuartas)


Espinoza, C.L., M.M. Murúa, V.H. Marín, R.O. Bustamante & R. Medel. 2010. Reproductive consequences of flower damage in native and degraded habitats: the case of Viola portalesia in the Chilean Maulino forest. Biodiversity and Conservation: in review. (BSc thesis C. Espinoza)


Medel, R., A.A. Cocucci, C. Botto-Mahan, J. Nattero, M. Moré, A.N. Sersic & A. Rivera-Hutinel. 2010. The spatial structure of pollinator-mediated selection in Oenothera affinis (Onagraceae). New Phytologist: in review.