My Experience
Research contributions
First author publications (JCR)
- Sobral, M. & Sampedro. (2022). Phenotypic, epigenetic, and fitness diversity within plant genotypes. Trends Plant Sci.
- Sobral, M. et al. (2021) Phenotypic plasticity in plant defense across life stages: inducibility, transgenerational induction, and transgenerational priming. PNAS.
- Sobral, M. (2021) All traits are functional: an evolutionary viewpoint. Trends Plant Sci.
- Sobral, M. et al. (2021). Transgenerational Plasticity in Flower Color Induced by Caterpillars. Plant Sci., 12, 617815.
- Sobral, M. & Magrach, A. (2019). Restoration of ecosystem functionality: the value of species interactions. ECOS, 28, 4–10.
- Sobral, M. et al. (2018). Exploring sub‐individual variability: role of ontogeny, abiotic environment and seed‐dispersing birds. Plant Biol J, 21, 688–694.
- Sobral, M., et. al. (2017). Mammal diversity influences the carbon cycle through trophic interactions in the Amazon. Nat Ecol Evol, 1, 1670–1676.
- Sobral, M., et. al. (2016). Flower color preferences of insects and livestock: effects on Gentiana lutea reproductive success. PeerJ, 4, e1685.
- Sobral, M. et. al. (2015). Selective Pressures Explain Differences in Flower Color among Gentiana lutea Populations. PLoS ONE, 10, e0132522.
- Sobral, M. et. al. (2014). Seed predators exert selection on the subindividual variation of seed size. Plant Biol J, 16, 836–842.
- Sobral, M., et. al. (2013). Selective Pressure along a Latitudinal Gradient Affects Subindividual Variation in Plants. PLoS ONE, 8, e74356
- Sobral, M., et. al. (2010). Do seed-dispersing birds exert selection on optimal plant trait combinations? Correlated phenotypic selection on the fruit and seed size of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Evol Ecol, 24, 1277–1290.
- Sobral, M., et. al. (2010). Fruit-Size Preferences in Wild and Naive Eurasian Blackbirds ( Turdus merula ) Feeding on Oneseed Hawthorn ( Crataegus monogyna). The Auk, 127, 532–539.
Publications as senior author and student advisor (JCR)
- Salaverri, L., Guitián, J., Munilla, I. & Sobral, M. (2019). Bird richness decreases with the abandonment of agriculture in a rural region of SW Europe. Reg Environ Change, 19, 245–250.
- Neylan, I., Dirzo, R. & Sobral, M. (2018). Cumulative effects of transgenerational induction on plant palatability to generalist and specialist herbivores. Web Ecol., 18, 41–46.
- Veiga, T*., Guitián, J., Guitián, P., Guitián, J., Munilla, I. & Sobral, M. (2016). Flower colour variation in the montane plant Gentiana lutea (Gentianaceae) is unrelated to abiotic factors. Plant Ecology & Diversity, 9, 105–112.
- Losada, M., Veiga, T., Guitián, J., Guitián, J., Guitián, P. & Sobral, M. (2015). Is there a hybridization barrier between Gentiana lutea color morphs? PeerJ, 3, e1308.
- Veiga, T*., Guitián, J., Guitián, P., Guitián, J. & Sobral, M. (2015). Are pollinators and seed predators selective agents on flower color in Gentiana lutea? Evol Ecol, 29, 451–464.
Collaborations (JCR)
- Campoy, J. G., Sobral, M., Carro, B., Lema, M., Barreiro, R., & Retuerto, R. (2022). Epigenetic and Phenotypic Responses to Experimental Climate Change of Native and Invasive Carpobrotus edulis. Frontiers in plant science, 13.
- Barnagaud, J., Mazet, N., Munoz, F., Grenié, M., Denelle, P., Sobral, M., et al. (2019). Functional biogeography of dietary strategies in birds. Global Ecol Biogeogr, 28, 1004–1017.
- Guitián, J.A., Sobral, M., Veiga, T., Losada, M., Guitián, P. & Guitián, J.M. (2017). Differences in pollination success between local and foreign flower color phenotypes: a translocation experiment with Gentiana lutea (Gentianaceae). PeerJ, 5, e2882.
- López-Sánchez, A., Schroeder, J., Roig, , Sobral, M. & Dirzo, R. (2014). Effects of Cattle Management on Oak Regeneration in Northern Californian Mediterranean Oak Woodlands. PLoS ONE, 9, e105472.
Impact
Radio interviews:
- Efervesciencia
- WISE at Radio3, in “Si no puedo bailar…”
- WISE at Cadena Ser
- Radio Voz, in “La mañana con Eva”
Press releases in Spanish or Galician:
Teaching
- Advised PhD Bird communities and environmental change in Galicia
- Advised PhD Natural Selection in Flower color in Gentiana lutea
- Honors thesis advisor The Effects of Herbivory, Transgenerational Changes, and Conspecific Communication on the Induced Defenses of Wild Radish
- Interview – Asociación Bota e Bata
- Nosotros, los bichos y la globalización, student group reflections during 2020 lockdown
- Teaching Unit
- Invitation at University of Montpellier
Responsibilities
- Scientific committee @ Comité Científico – XV Congreso Nacional de la AEET, 2021
- Co-organizing biodiversity symposium @ Sesiones y simposios – XV Congreso Nacional de la AEET, 2021
- Equality comission @ Asociación Española de Ecología Terrestre (aeet.org)
- Member of the panel of experts for Internationalization of Edcucation @ Ministry of Universities, Spain
- Expert reviewer @ Dirección de Evaluación y Acreditación de Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento
- Expert reviewer @ Italian Ministry of Science and Universities
- Expert reviewer @ National Science Center, Poland
Research lines
Natural selection on subindividual phenotypic variation
Variation in traits among organs within a single individual, in modular organisms such as plants, is now known to be; different among individuals, genetically and epigenetically based, and affect the individual fitness. Individuals are not longer the frontier to ecological and evolutionary meaningful diversity.
Transgenerational epigenetic effects of ecological interactions
Ecologically relevant epigenetic variation challenges our current understanding of evolutionary processes. A host of environmental factors can modify phenotypes via epigenetic modifications that are transmissible across generations and can be adaptive. Epigenetically originated variation can influence the course of evolution and provide a shortcut to evolutionary change.
Links between biodiversity and soil carbon
Human activity is decreasing biodiversity and ecosystem function at an unprecedented rate. Biodiversity loss lessens the ability of forests to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in living biomass and soil. Above ground, not only plants, but also vertebrates play an important role in the carbon cycle.