Muscarella lab
Plant community ecology

We study plant communities – especially tropical forests – by mixing field studies, biodiversity databases, and statistical models. Our research explores how environmental heterogeneity influences plant diversity and dynamics across various spatial and temporal scales. Particular interests include diversity patterns, species range dynamics, the responses of biological communities to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and the implications for ecosystem services.
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Group members
Publications
Drone microrelief analysis to predict the presence of naturally regenerated seedlings
Part of Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2024
- DOI for Drone microrelief analysis to predict the presence of naturally regenerated seedlings
- Download full text (pdf) of Drone microrelief analysis to predict the presence of naturally regenerated seedlings
Part of Ecology and Evolution, 2024
- DOI for Survival, growth, and functional traits of tropical wet forest tree seedlings across an experimental soil moisture gradient in Puerto Rico
- Download full text (pdf) of Survival, growth, and functional traits of tropical wet forest tree seedlings across an experimental soil moisture gradient in Puerto Rico
Part of Biotropica, 2024
- DOI for Height-diameter allometry for a dominant palm to improve understanding of carbon and forest dynamics in forests of Puerto Rico
- Download full text (pdf) of Height-diameter allometry for a dominant palm to improve understanding of carbon and forest dynamics in forests of Puerto Rico
Part of Ecosystems, p. 479-491, 2024
Part of Global Change Biology, 2024
- DOI for Damage to tropical forests caused by cyclones is driven by wind speed but mediated by topographical exposure and tree characteristics
- Download full text (pdf) of Damage to tropical forests caused by cyclones is driven by wind speed but mediated by topographical exposure and tree characteristics
Part of Functional Ecology, p. 447-460, 2023
Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests
Part of Nature, p. 111-117, 2023
- DOI for Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests
- Download full text (pdf) of Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests
Climate biogeography of Arabidopsis thaliana: Linking distribution models and individual variation
Part of Journal of Biogeography, 2023
- DOI for Climate biogeography of Arabidopsis thaliana: Linking distribution models and individual variation
- Download full text (pdf) of Climate biogeography of Arabidopsis thaliana: Linking distribution models and individual variation
Hydraulic variability of tropical forests is largely independent of water availability
Part of Ecology Letters, p. 1829-1839, 2023
- DOI for Hydraulic variability of tropical forests is largely independent of water availability
- Download full text (pdf) of Hydraulic variability of tropical forests is largely independent of water availability
Shifts in wood anatomical traits after a major hurricane
Part of Functional Ecology, p. 3000-3014, 2023
- DOI for Shifts in wood anatomical traits after a major hurricane
- Download full text (pdf) of Shifts in wood anatomical traits after a major hurricane
Lab alumni
Postdocs
- Kasia Ziemińska (2020-2021)
- Emanuele Ziaco (2021)
PhD Students
- Sam Farrar (2020-2023)
MSc Students
- Zacharias Manias (2022-2023)
- Salma Naz (2023)
- Markos Nikolaou (2022-2023)
- Helene Hansen (2020-2021)
- Paschalis Chatzopoulos (2020-2021)
- Roel Lammerant (2020-2021)
- Shareen Sanders (2019-2020)
- Claire Ract (2020)
- Sanne Welin (2019-2020)
Lab technician
- Silvia Bibbo (2021-2023)