Hi! I'm Mario Sandoval

PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
at Cornell University

About Me

I am a PhD Candidate at Cornell University under the supervision of Professor André Kessler. I'm broadly interested in understanding the ecological and evolutionary implications of rapid movement, physical and chemical defenses in the Mimosa genus. My other research interests are related to the ecology and evolution of insect-plant interactions, plant defenses, ant-plant interactions, pollinator-plant interactions, and herbivory. I am a committee member with editorial duties at EcoEvoRxiv, a not-for-profit subject-matter specific research repository for preprints related to ecology, evolution and conservation.

You can find more information about my background in my CV.

Research

My research is focused, but not restricted to the ecology of insect-plant interactions, plant defenses, extrafloral nectaries, ants, herbivores, pollinators, and insect behavior.

Mimosa pudica
Principal Investigator

Ecology and evolution of rapid movement and plant defenses in Mimosa

Using chemical ecology tools and phylogenetic analysis, I want to understand how rapid movement evolved in the Mimosa genus (manuscript in preparation), and how this trait affects the evolution of secondary metabolites. PhD dissertation, Cornell University · 2021

Results: one scientific publication in process.
Drosera
Principal Investigator

Pollinator-Prey Conflict in Drosera

Examined trap stickiness and floral stalk length as morphological mechanisms to prevent pollinator-prey conflict in carnivorous plants of the genus Drosera.

Results: Preprint link, sent for publication.
Ferocactus nectaries
Principal Investigator

Extrafloral Nectaries in Cactaceae

Analyzed the morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of extrafloral nectaries of Ferocactus recurvus and Opuntia streptacantha in Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, México. Examined their function in association with ants and pollinators. Funded by the Cactus and Succulents Society of America. México · 2017–2018

Results: two scientific publications. Preprint link
Opuntia robusta
Research Collaborator

Opuntia robusta — Defense & Reproduction

Conducted field work collecting tissues for secondary metabolites analysis, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, measuring plant defensive traits and seed set. Collaborator: Dr. Mariusz Janczur.

Results: four scientific publications in process.
Myriocarpa longipes
Research Collaborator

Ant-Domatia Interactions in Myriocarpa longipes

Analyzed the effect of ants and domatia position on herbivore damage in Myriocarpa longipes. Collaborator: Dr. Mariusz Janczur.

Results: one scientific publication. LINK HERE

Other collaborations

  • Collected and identified insect pollinators in botanic gardens and natural areas; performed plant-pollinator interaction network analysis.
  • Conducted laboratory work using TEM, SEM, and light microscopy at Colegio de Postgraduados. Results: one scientific publication. LINK HERE

Publications

Peer-Reviewed

1

Sandoval-Molina, M.A., González-Camarena, E., Rosas-Sánchez and Janczur, M.K. (2025). The Distraction Function of Extrafloral Nectaries: Keeping Ants Away from Flowers and Preventing Interaction with Pollinators. Arthropod-Plant Interactions. LINK HERE

2

Sandoval-Molina, M.A., García-Franco, J.G., Díaz Castelazo, C. and Janczur, M.K. (2023). Plant sex changes the outcome of ant-plant interactions in a facultative myrmecophytic cactus. Functional Ecology, 00, 1–13. LINK HERE

3

Sandoval-Molina, M.A., Lugo-García, B.R., Mendoza-Mendoza, A.D., and Janczur, M.K. (2021). Females restrict the position of domatia and suffer more herbivory than hermaphrodites in Myriocarpa longipes, a Neotropical myrmecophyte. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 1–7. LINK HERE

4

Janczur, M.K., González-Camarena, E., León-Solano, H.J., Sandoval-Molina, M.A., Bartosz, J. (2021). Impact of the female and hermaphrodite forms of Opuntia robusta on the plant defence hypothesis. Scientific Reports 11, 12063. LINK HERE

5

Sandoval-Molina, M.A., Flórez-Gómez, N.A., Reyes-Tovar, J.M., Pérez-Botello, A.M., Hinojosa-Díaz, I.A., Ayala, R. (2020). Effects of floral display and abiotic environment on the foraging activity of bees on Kallstroemia pubescens (Zygophyllaceae). Ethology Ecology & Evolution 32(6), 551–571. LINK HERE

6

Sandoval-Molina, M.A., Zavaleta-Mancera, H.A., León-Solano, H., Solache-Ramos, L., Jenner, B., Morales-Rodríguez, S., Patrón-Soberano, A. and Janczur, M. (2018). First description of extrafloral nectaries in Opuntia robusta (Cactaceae): anatomy and ultrastructure. PLOS ONE 13(7). LINK HERE

Other Publications & Preprints

1

Sandoval-Molina, M.A. (2026). Mitigating the Pollinator-Prey Conflict in Drosera capillaris: A Study on Physiological Plasticity and Phylogenetic Conservatism within Drosera EcoEvoRxiv. LINK HERE

1

Sandoval-Molina, M.A., González-Camarena, E., and Janczur, M.K. (2023). Morphological and anatomical characterization of extrafloral nectaries of Opuntia streptacantha and Ferocactus recurvus (Cactaceae). EcoEvoRxiv. LINK HERE

2

Sandoval-Molina, M.A. (2021). tlamatini: Funciones utiles para biologxs y ecologxs confundidos con los modelos lineales. R package version 0.5. Website

3

León-Solano, H.J., Janczur, M.K., González-Camarena, E., Czarnoleski, M., Jenner, B., Sandoval-Molina, M.A. (2021). Resource Allocation Among Cladodes of Opuntia robusta From East-central Mexico. Research Square. LINK HERE

Contact

I am always open to new research collaborations or inquiries regarding my work.
Feel free to reach out directly by email.

Cornell University
mas798@cornell.edu
Personal
mas413bio@gmail.com