Tropical Behavioral
Ecology Lab

Research

Our research focuses mainly on the obligate mutualisms of acacia ants with the swollen-thorn acacias, and we aim to learn how the evolution of the association with the plant involves behavioral (individual or social) or morphological modifications. We are therefore also interested in learning about the organisms that can live with the defending acacia ants. Although we are fascinated by ants living on plants, we encourage people to pursue their own research question and we welcome studies in any kind of arthropods.

Interested in joining our lab? Learn more here ...

About our research

Our people

Our lab combines behavioral, ecological, morphological and evolutionary approaches to understand animal behavior. Meet the people who make our science!

About our team

Featured publications

Amador Vargas, S. 2023. A potential wintering site of Swainson’s Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in the North Pacific plains of Costa Rica with notes on their behavior. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 135(4), 575-581. https://doi.org/10.1676/23-00026

Farji-Brener, A., & Amador-Vargas, S. 2023. Collateral damage: has the COVID-19 pandemic more strongly impacted medical research than other scientific areas?. PeerJ, 11, e15436. doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15436

Amador-Vargas S, González, Y., Guevara, M., & Gijsman, F. 2022. Scaling of indirect defences in Central American swollen-thorn acacias. Journal of Tropical Ecology 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467422000293

Amador-Vargas S. & Porras-Brenes K. 2022. Three neotropical bird species shift nest-site preferences from swollen-thorn acacias to other sites in human-altered habitats. Biotropica 54:1071-1080. https://doi.org/10.1111 /btp .13138

Gijsman, F., Gonzalez Y., Guevara M. & Amador-Vargas S. 2021. Short-term plasticity and variation in acacia ant-rewards under different conditions of ant occupancy and herbivory. The Science of Nature 108(4):31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-021-01738-w

View all publications

Featured story & video

Ants, acacias and shameless bribery

Coverage of our paper entitled “Short-term plasticity and variation in acacia ant-rewards under different conditions of ant occupancy and herbivory”, was highlighted in The Economist.

Featuring: Finote Gijsman, Maikol Guevara, Yorlenis González and Sabrina Amador

The Economist