Antonio Castilla
FCT postdoctoral fellow
Email: acastilla@utexas.edu
URL: http://www.antoniorcastilla.com
CV: Descarregar
My primary research interests are to understand the underlying genetic mechanisms that allow plant populations to adapt to global change and apply molecular tools to the conservation and restoration of the biodiversity. Specifically, I am particularly interested in the forces shaping the genetic diversity in tree populations such as the geographic variation in the patterns of local adaption to biotic factors and the gene flow among and within tree populations. My research combines molecular tools, statistical modeling, GIS tools, and field work. In my research program, I work at the interface between conservation genetics, evolutionary biology, and landscape ecology. Overall, my research program addresses: a) effects of habitat fragmentation on the gene flow among plant populations, b) statistical modeling of dispersal processes within spatially structured tree populations and c) impacts of global change on the local adaptation of forests to geographically variable biotic interactions.
I am currently conducting a postdoctoral project in the laboratory of Dr. José Fedriani at Centre for Applied Ecology “Prof. Baeta Neves” funded by the Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research, and Technology (FCT). I am integrating information on genetics, seed dispersal kernels, vertebrate seed dispersers’ spatial behavior, and plant demography to provide a mechanistic understanding of the colonization of Mediterranean old fields. The overall goal of my postdoctoral project is to investigate what extent genetic diversity from source populations is captured during the colonization of old fields and how this genetic diversity impacts recruitment and long-term viability of founding plant populations.
Jaffa, R., Castilla, A.R., Pope, N., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V.L., Metzger, J.P., Arias, M.C., Jha, S., 2015, Landscape genetics of a tropical rescue pollinator. Conservation Genetics 17: 267-278.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2013, Herbivory at marginal populations: consequences for maternal fitness and vegetative differentiation. Acta Oecologica 49: 32-38.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2012, Genetic structure of the shrub Daphne laureola across the Baetic Ranges, a Mediterranean glacial refugium and biodiversity hotspot. Plant Biology 14: 515-524.
Castilla, A.R., Wiegand, T., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2012, Disturbance-dependent spatial distribution of sexes in a gynodioecious understory shrub. Basic and Applied Ecology 13: 405-413.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2011, Exploring local borders of distribution in the shrub Daphne laureola: individual and populations traits. Acta Oecologica 37: 269-276.
Ballare, K.M., Pope, N.S., Castilla, A.R., Cusser, S., Metz, R.P., Jha, S., 2019, Utilizing field collected insects for next generation sequencing: effects of sampling, storage and DNA extraction methods. Ecology and Evolution 9(24): 13690-13705.
(doi: 10.1002/ece3.5756)
Castilla A.R., Garrote P.J., Żywiec M., 2019, Genetic rescue by distant trees mitigates qualitative pollen limitation imposed by fine-scale spatial genetic structure. Molecular Ecology 28(19): 4363-4374.
(doi: 10.1111/mec.15233)
Castilla, A.R., Garrote, P.J., Żywiec, M., Calvo, G., Suárez-Esteban, A., Picó, F.X., Godoy, J.A., Delibes, M., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Genetic rescue by distant trees mitigates qualitative pollen limitation imposed by fine-scale spatial genetic structure. 2019 British Ecological Society Meeting. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Poster presentation)
Castilla, A.R.,Godoy, J.A., Delibes, M., Rodriguez‐Prieto, A., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Microgeographical variation in recruitment under adult trees: arrival of new genotypes or perpetuation of the existing ones? Plant Biology 21: 695-705.
(doi: 10.1111/plb.12982)
Fedriani, J.M., Garrote, P. J., Calvo, G., Delibes, M., Castilla, A. R., Żywiec M., 2019, Combined effects of seed provenance, plant facilitation and restoration site on revegetation success. Journal of Applied Ecology 56: 996-1006.
(doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13343)
Garrote P.J., Castilla A.R., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, The endemic Mediterranean dwarf palm boosts the recolonization of old-fields: implications for restoration. Journal of Environment Management 250, 109478.
Garrote, P.J., Calvo, G., Żywiec, M., Delibes, M., Suárez-Esteban, A., Castilla, A.R., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Extrinsic factors rather than by seed traits mediate strong spatial variations in seed predation: a reciprocal translocation experiment. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 38: 39-47.
(doi: 10.1016/j.ppees.2019.02.005)
Garrote, P.J., Castilla, A.R., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Spatial associations between an endemic Mediterranean palm and several woody species in Iberian oldfields: implications for restoration. In AEET (Eds.). Abstract book of the 1st Meeting of the Iberian Ecological Society (SIBECOL) & XIV AEET meeting. 1st Meeting of the Iberian Ecological Society & XIV AEET Meeting, Universidad de Barcelona, 4-7 February 2019, pp. 163.
Majetic, C.J., Castilla, A.R., Levin, D.A., 2019, Losing a Scent of One’s Self: Is There a Reduction in Floral Scent Emission in Self-Pollinating Phlox cuspidata versus Outcrossing Phlox drummondii? International Journal of Plant Sciences 180(1): 86-92.
(doi: 10.1086/701102)
Buide, M.L., del Valle, J.C., Castilla, A.R., Narbona, E., 2018, Sex expression variation in response to shade in gynodioecious-gynomonoecious species: Silene littorea decreases flower production and increases female flower proportion. Environmental and Experimental Botany 146: 54-61.
Garrote, P. J., Calvo, G., Żywiec, M., Delibes, M., Suárez-Esteban, A., Castilla, A. & Fedriani, J. M., 2018, Extrinsic factors rather than seed traits mediate strong spatial variation in seed predation: a reciprocal translocation experiment. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. Oecologia 187:143–154.
Majetic, C.J., Castilla, A.R., Levin, D.A., 2018, Losing a Scent of One’s Self: Is There a Reduction in Floral Scent Emission in Self-Pollinating Phlox cuspidata versus Outcrossing Phlox drummondii? International Journal of Plant Sciences 180: 86-92.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2016, To be or not to be better pollinated: differences between sex morphs in marginal gynodioecious populations. Special Issue: “The Ecology and Evolution of Pollen Performance” American Journal of Botany 103: 388-395.
Castilla, A.R., Pope, N., Jaffé, R., Jha, S., 2016, Elevation, not deforestation, promotes genetic differentiation in a pioneer tropical tree. PLoS One 11: e0156694
Castilla, A.R., Pope, N., Jha, S., 2016, Positive density-dependent reproduction regulated by local kinship and size in an understory tropical tree. Annals of Botany 117: 319-329.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2015, Sex-specific phenotypic selection and geographic variation in gender divergence in a gynodioecious shrub. Plant Biology 17: 186-193.
Jaffa, R., Castilla, A.R., Pope, N., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V.L., Metzger, J.P., Arias, M.C., Jha, S., 2015, Landscape genetics of a tropical rescue pollinator. Conservation Genetics 17: 267-278.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2013, Herbivory at marginal populations: consequences for maternal fitness and vegetative differentiation. Acta Oecologica 49: 32-38.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2012, Genetic structure of the shrub Daphne laureola across the Baetic Ranges, a Mediterranean glacial refugium and biodiversity hotspot. Plant Biology 14: 515-524.
Castilla, A.R., Wiegand, T., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2012, Disturbance-dependent spatial distribution of sexes in a gynodioecious understory shrub. Basic and Applied Ecology 13: 405-413.
Castilla, A.R., Alonso, C., Herrera, C.M., 2011, Exploring local borders of distribution in the shrub Daphne laureola: individual and populations traits. Acta Oecologica 37: 269-276.
Ballare, K.M., Pope, N.S., Castilla, A.R., Cusser, S., Metz, R.P., Jha, S., 2019, Utilizing field collected insects for next generation sequencing: effects of sampling, storage and DNA extraction methods. Ecology and Evolution 9(24): 13690-13705.
(doi: 10.1002/ece3.5756)
Castilla A.R., Garrote P.J., Żywiec M., 2019, Genetic rescue by distant trees mitigates qualitative pollen limitation imposed by fine-scale spatial genetic structure. Molecular Ecology 28(19): 4363-4374.
(doi: 10.1111/mec.15233)
Castilla, A.R., Garrote, P.J., Żywiec, M., Calvo, G., Suárez-Esteban, A., Picó, F.X., Godoy, J.A., Delibes, M., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Genetic rescue by distant trees mitigates qualitative pollen limitation imposed by fine-scale spatial genetic structure. 2019 British Ecological Society Meeting. Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Poster presentation)
Castilla, A.R.,Godoy, J.A., Delibes, M., Rodriguez‐Prieto, A., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Microgeographical variation in recruitment under adult trees: arrival of new genotypes or perpetuation of the existing ones? Plant Biology 21: 695-705.
(doi: 10.1111/plb.12982)
Fedriani, J.M., Garrote, P. J., Calvo, G., Delibes, M., Castilla, A. R., Żywiec M., 2019, Combined effects of seed provenance, plant facilitation and restoration site on revegetation success. Journal of Applied Ecology 56: 996-1006.
(doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13343)
Garrote P.J., Castilla A.R., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, The endemic Mediterranean dwarf palm boosts the recolonization of old-fields: implications for restoration. Journal of Environment Management 250, 109478.
Garrote, P.J., Calvo, G., Żywiec, M., Delibes, M., Suárez-Esteban, A., Castilla, A.R., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Extrinsic factors rather than by seed traits mediate strong spatial variations in seed predation: a reciprocal translocation experiment. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 38: 39-47.
(doi: 10.1016/j.ppees.2019.02.005)
Garrote, P.J., Castilla, A.R., Fedriani, J.M., 2019, Spatial associations between an endemic Mediterranean palm and several woody species in Iberian oldfields: implications for restoration. In AEET (Eds.). Abstract book of the 1st Meeting of the Iberian Ecological Society (SIBECOL) & XIV AEET meeting. 1st Meeting of the Iberian Ecological Society & XIV AEET Meeting, Universidad de Barcelona, 4-7 February 2019, pp. 163.
