Líneas de Investigación
Trabajo en ecología molecular y genómica funcional de insectos herbívoros y sus enemigos naturales, investigando los mecanismos genéticos y moleculares involucrados en la interacción insecto-planta e insecto-insecto que conducen procesos de especialización ecológica, el éxito de insectos plagas y sus enemigos naturales introducidos en Chile, y la evolución de la resistencia a insecticidas. Estamos identificando genes que subyacen a estas interacciones bióticas y abióticas usando como sistemas de estudio a los áfidos (pulgones) y avispas parasitoides de áfidos. Además, estudiamos el rol de estas interacciones sobre las dinámicas temporales y espaciales de poblacionales de pulgones, en la búsqueda de un manejo de insectos plagas que sea sustentable y amigable con el medio ambiente.
Figueroa, C.C., Fuentes-Contreras, Molina-Montenegro, M.A., Ramírez, C.C. 2018. Biological and genetic features of introduced aphid populations in agroecosystems (Review). Current Opinion in Insect Science 26: 63-68.
Figueroa, C.C., Niemeyer, H.M., Cabrera-Brandt, M., Briones, L.M., Lavandero, B., Zúñiga-Reinoso, A., Ramírez, C.C., 2018. Forest fragmentation may endanger a plant-insect interaction: the case of the highly specialist native aphid Neuquenaphis staryi in Chile. Insect Conserv. Divers., 11: 352-362. doi:10.1111/icad.12283
Ballesteros, G.I., Gadau, J., Legeai, F., González-González, A., Lavandero, B., Simon, J.C., Figueroa, C.C. 2017. Expression differences in Aphidius ervi(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) females reared on different aphid host species. PeerJ 5, e3640. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3640.
Sepúlveda, Daniela A, Zepeda-Paulo, Francisca, Ramírez, Claudio C, Lavandero, Blas, Figueroa, Christian C. 2017. Loss of host fidelity in highly inbred populations of the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Journal of Pest Science 90 (2): 649-658
Barrios-San Martín, J., Figueroa, C.C., Ramírez, C.C. 2016. Evidence of plastic probing behavior in a ‘superclone’ of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae. Bulletin of Entomological Research 106(6): 801-808.
Sepúlveda, Daniela A, Zepeda-Paulo, Francisca, Ramírez, Claudio C, Lavandero, Blas, Figueroa, Christian C. 2016. Diversity, frequency, and geographic distribution of facultative bacterial endosymbionts in introduced aphid pests. Insect Science.
Zepeda-Paulo, F., Lavandero, B., Mahéo, F., Dion, E., Outreman, Y., Simon, J.C., Figueroa, C.C. 2016. Signatures of genetic bottleneck and differentiation after the introduction of an exotic parasitoid for classical biological control. Biological Invasions 18(2): 565-581.
Tapia, D.H., Silva, A.X., Ballesteros, G.I., Figueroa, C.C., Niemeyer, H.M., Ramírez; C.C. 2015. Differences in learning and memory of host-plant features between specialist and generalist phytophagous insects. Animal Behaviour DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.04.027.
Zepeda-Paulo, F., Lavandero, B., Maheo, F., Dion, E., Outreman, Y., Simon, J.C., Figueroa, C.C. 2015. Does sex-biased dispersal account for the lack of geographic and host-associated differentiation in introduced populations of an aphid parasitoid? Ecology and Evolution (in press) DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1504.
Cabrera-Brandt, M.A., Verdugo, J.A., Ramírez, C.C., Lacroze, J.P., Sauge M.H, Figueroa, C.C. 2014. Intra-specific variation of behavioral signals in suppressing plant defenses in the green peach aphid Myzuspersicae, feeding on the resistant wild peach Prunusdavidiana. Journal of Pest ScienceDOI: 10.1007/s10340-014-0614-2.
Torres-Florez, J.P., Hucke-Gaete, R., LeDuc, R., Lang, A., Taylor, B., Pimper, L.E., Bedriñana-Romano, L., Rosenbaum, H.C. &Figueroa, C.C. 2014. Blue whale population structure along the eastern South Pacific Ocean: Evidence of more than one population. Molecular Ecology23, 5998–6010.
Cabrera-Brandt, M.A., Silva, A.X., Le Trionnaire, G., Tagu, D. &Figueroa, C.C. 2014. Transcriptomic responses of the aphid Myzuspersicaenicotianae Blackman (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to insecticides: Analyses in the single Chilean clone of the tobacco aphid. Chilean Journal of Agriculture Research 74, 191-199.
Rubiano-Rodríguez, J.A., Fuentes-Contreras, E., Figueroa, C.C., Margaritopoulos, J.T., Briones, L.M., &Ramírez, C.C. 2014. Genetic diversity and insecticide resistance during the growing season in the green peach aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on primary and secondary hosts: a farm-scale study in Central Chile. Bulletin of Entomological Research 104, 182-194.
Torres-Florez, J.P., Hucke-Gaete, R., Rosenbaum, H. &Figueroa, C.C. 2014. High genetic diversity in a small population: the case of Chilean blue whales. Ecology and Evolution 4, 1398–1412.
Bacigalupe, L.D., Barrientos, K., Beckerman, A.P., Carter, M.J., Figueroa, C.C., Foster, S.P., Moore, A.J., Silva, A.X. & Nespolo, R.F. 2013. Can invasions occur without change? A comparison of G-matrices and selection in the peach-potato aphid, Myzuspersicae. Ecology and Evolution3, 5109-5118.
Zepeda-Paulo, F., Ortiz, S., Figueroa, C.C., Lavandero, B. 2013. Adaptive evolution of a generalist parasitoid: implications for the effectiveness of biological control agents. Evolutionary Applications6, 983-999.
Fuentes-Contreras, E., Silva, A.X., Bacigalupe, L.D, Foster, S., Unruh, T. &Figueroa, C.C. 2013. Survey of resistance to four insecticides and their associated mechanisms in different genotypes of the green peach aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from Chile. Journal of Economic Entomology 106, 400-407.
2017. Proyecto Fondecyt Regular 1170943 “Functional symbiosis as tool for pest control in cereal crops”. Investigador Responsable.
2013-2017. Núcleo Científico Milenio NC120027. Centre of Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems. Director.
2013-2017. Proyecto Fondecyt Regular1130483. “Molecular mechanisms underpinning host-adaptation in a parasitoid wasp: a novel approach to increase the efficacy of biological control”. Investigador Responsable.
2013-2017. Proyecto Fondecyt Regular1131008 “Genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity of “superclones” of main aphid pest species in Chile: searching for causes of their success”. Co-Investigador.
2011-2014. Proyecto Fondecyt Regular1110341 “Putative host refuges for Aphidiuservi: colonization of early season crop fields from adjacent natural habitats”. Co-Investigador .
2010-2013. Proyecto Fondecyt Regular1100746 “Outbreaks and resurgences of the green peach aphid Myzuspersicae (Sulzer) in peaches and nectarines orchards: where do the aphids come from?”. Co-Investigador.