Líneas de Investigación
El foco principal de nuestras investigaciones es la ecofisiología, entendida como aquella aproximación mecanicista y funcional que permite comprender los patrones de distribución y abundancia de las poblaciones y comunidades vegetales. Estamos interesados en comprender como las interacciones planta-planta y planta-microorganismos pueden facilitar y mejorar el desempeño ecofisiológico de plantas nativas e invasoras en ambientes extremos, y como estas interacciones pueden verse afectadas por el cambio climático. Finalmente, estamos interesados en promover estrategias de reintroducción de la flora nativa y mejoramiento de cultivos agrícolas mediante el uso de biorecursos antárticos.
Hereme, R; Galleguillos, C; Morales-Navarro, S; Molina-Montenegro, MA. 2021., What if the cold days return? Epigenetic mechanisms in plants to cold tolerance. Planta. doi: 10.1007/s00425-021-03694-1
Torres-Diaz, C; Valladares, MA; Acuna-Rodriguez, IS; Ballesteros, GI; Barrera, A; Atala, C; Molina-Montenegro, MA. 2021., Symbiotic Interaction Enhances the Recovery of Endangered Tree Species in the Fragmented Maulino Forest. Frontiers In Plant Science. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.663017
Acuna-Rodriguez, IS; Zuniga-Venegas, LA; Molina-Montenegro, MA., 2021. Genotoxicity of oxidative stress and UV-B radiation in Antarctic vascular plants. Polar Biology. doi: 10.1007/s00300-021-02860-1
Mora-Poblete, F; Ballesta, P; Lobos, GA; Molina-Montenegro, M; Gleadow, R; Ahmar, S; Jimenez-Aspee, F., 2021. Genome-wide association study of cyanogenic glycosides, proline, sugars, and pigments in Eucalyptus cladocalyx after 18 consecutive dry summers. Physiologia Plantarum. doi: 10.1111/ppl.13349
Molina-Montenegro, MA; Atala, C; Carrasco-Urra, F., 2021. Differential Impact of an Eclipse on Photosynthetic Performance of Trees with Different Degrees of Shade Tolerance. Forests. doi: 10.3390/f12101353.
Arzabe, A.A., Aguirre, L.F., Baldelomar, M.P., Molina-Montenegro, M.A., 2018. Assessing the geographic dichotomy hypothesis with cacti in South America. Plant Biol. 20, 399–402. doi:10.1111/plb.12669.
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.
Gallardo-Cerda, G., Levihuan, L., Lavín, P., Oses, R., Atala, C., Torres-Díaz, C., Cuba-Díaz, M., Barrera, A., Molina-Montenegro M. 2018. Antarctic rhizobacteria improve salt tolerance and physiological performance of the Antarctic vascular plants. Polar Biology 1–10. doi:10.1007/s00300-018-2336-z
Karp, D., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Meehan, T., Martin, E., DeClercj, F., et al. 2018. Crop pests and predators exhibit inconsistent responses to surrounding landscape composition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1800042115
Molina-Montenegro, M.A,, Acuña-Rodríguez, I.S., Flores, T.S.M., Hereme, R., Lafon, A., Atala, C., Torres-Díaz, C. 2018. Plant Invasions the Result of Rapid Adaptive Evolution in Seed Traits? Evidence from a Latitudinal Rainfall Gradient. Front. Plant Sci. 9:208. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00208
Molina-Montenegro, M.A., Del Pozo, A., Gianoli, E. 2018. Ecophysiological basis of the Jack-and-Master strategy: Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) as an example of a successful invader. Journal of Plant Ecology 11 (1): 147-157.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Ballesteros GI, Castro-Nallar E, Meneses C, Torres-Díaz C, Gallardo-Cerda J. 2018. Metagenomic exploration of soils microbial communities associated to Antarctic vascular plants. PeerJ Preprints 6:e26508v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.26508v1
Oses Pedraza, R., Torres-Díaz, C., Lavin, P., Retamales-Molina, P., Atala, C., Acuña-Rodríguez, I., Molina-Montenegro, MA. 2018. Root fungal endophytes improve the growth of antarctic plants through an enhanced nitrogen acquisition. PeerJ Preprints 6:e26774v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.26774v1
Ramos, P., Rivas, N., Pollmann, S., Casati, P., Molina-Montenegro, M. 2018. Hormonal and physiological changes driven by fungal endophytes increase Antarctic plant performance under UV-B radiation. Fungal Ecology 34: 76–82
Acuna-Rodríguez I, Torres-Díaz C, Hereme R, Molina-Montenegro M. 2017. Asymmetric responses to simulated global warming by populations of Colobanthus quitensis along a latitudinal PeerJ Preprints 5:e3069v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.3069v1
Atala, C., Munoz-Tapia, L., Pereira, G., Romero, C., Vargas, R., Acuna-Rodriguez, I.S., Molina-Montenegro, M.A., Brito, E. 2017. The effect of future climate change on the conservation of Chloraea disoides Lindl. (Orchidaceae) in Chile. Brazilian Journal of Botany 40, 353-360, 10.1007/s40415-016-0333-4
Molina-Montenegro, Marco A, Rómulo Oses, Cristian Torres-Díaz, Cristian Atala, Andrés Zurita-Silva, Simón Ruiz-Lara. 2016. Root-endophytes improve the ecophysiological performance and production of an agricultural species under drought condition. AoB Plants 8: plw062. doi:10.1093/aobpla/plw062
Molina-Montenegro Marco A, Rómulo Oses, Ian S Acuña-Rodríguez, Cristian Fardella, Ernesto I Badano, Patricio Torres-Morales, Jorge Gallardo-Cerda, Cristian Torres-Díaz. 2016. Positive interactions by cushion plants in high mountains: fact or artifact?. Journal of Plant Ecology 9 (2): 117-123
Molina-Montenegro Marco A, Rómulo Oses, Cristian Atala, Cristian Torres-Díaz, Gustavo Bolados, Pedro León-Lobos. 2016. Nurse effect and soil microorganisms are key to improve the establishment of native plants in a semiarid community. Journal of Arid Environments 126: 54-61
Molina-Montenegro Marco A, Carolina Galleguillos, Rómulo Oses, Ian S Acuña-Rodríguez, Paris Lavín, Jorge Gallardo-Cerda, Cristian Torres-Díaz, Beatriz Diez, Gonzalo E Pizarro, Cristian Atala. 2016. Adaptive phenotypic plasticity and competitive ability deployed under a climate change scenario may promote the invasion of Poa annua in Antarctica. Biological Invasions 18 (3): 603-618
Molina-Montenegro MA, Alejandro del Pozo and Ernesto Gianoli. 2016. Ecophysiological basis of the Jack-and-Master strategy: Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) as an example of a successful invader. Journal of Plant Ecology. doi:10.1093/jpe/rtw121
Gallardo-Cerda J, Bravo LA, Atala C, Corcuera LJ, Molina-Montenegro MA (2015) Dehydrins presence in xylem parenchyma cells enhances hydraulic conductivity and physiological performance in Nothofagus dombeyi. South African Journal of Botany (in press).
Chwedorzewska KJ, Gielwanoswka I, Olech M, Molina-Montenegro MA, Wódkiewicz M, & Galera H (2015) Poa annua L. in the Maritime Antarctic: an overview. Polar Record (in press).
Molina-Montenegro MA, Pertierra LR, Razeto-Barry P, Finot V & Torres-Díaz C (2015) A recolonization record of the invasive Poa annua in Paradise bay, Antarctic Peninsula: Modelling of the potential spreading risk. Polar Biology 38: 109196.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Oses R, Acuña-Rodríguez IS, Fardella C, Badano EI, Torres-Morales P, Gallardo-Cerda J, Torres-Díaz C (2015) Positive interactions by cushion plants in high mountains: fact or artifact? Journal of Plant Ecology 8: 1-7.
Hughes K, Pertierra LR, Molina-Montenegro MA & Convey P. (2015) Biological invasions in terrestrial Antarctica: what is the current status and can we respond? Biodiversity and Conservation 24: 1031-1055.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Torres-Díaz C, Oses R, Atala C, Núñez M & Armas C (2015) Is the invasion success of Taraxacum officinale the result of rapid adaptive evolution in seed traits? Evidence from a latitudinal rainfall gradient. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 17: 218-226.
Atala C, Quilodrán M & Molina-Montenegro MA (2014) Induced twining in Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth.: response threshold and induction by volatiles and snail damage. Gayana Botánica 71: 181-187.
Acuña-Rodríguez IS, Gianoli E, Ríos R, Salgado-Luarte C, Stotz G, Carrasco-Urra F & Molina-Montenegro MA (2014) Antarctic ecology one century after the conquest of the South Pole: how much have we advanced? BioScience 64: 593-600.
Fardella C, Oses R, Torres-Díaz C & Molina-Montenegro MA (2014) Hongos endófitos Antárticos como herramienta para la reintroducción de especies nativas en zonas áridas. Bosque 35: 235-239.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Carrasco-Urra F, Oses R, Torres-Díaz C & Chwedorzewska KJ (2014) Assessing the importance of human activities for the establishment of the invasive Poa annua in the Antarctica. Polar research 33: 21425.
Ruiz-Carrasco K, Biondi S, Antognoti F, Jacobsen S, Oses R, Acuña-Rodríguez I, Martínez EA, Zurita-Silva A, Bazile D, Pinto M, Canahua A & Molina-Montenegro MA (2014). 2013 – a year specially dedicated to quinoa: learning from the past, status on the present, and perspectives for the future. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 34: 349-359.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Torres-Días C & Gianoli E. (2014) Antarctic macrolichen modifies microclimate and facilitates vascular plants in the maritime Antarctica – a reply to Casanova-Katny et al. (2014). Journal of Vegetation Science 25: 606-608.
Acuña-Rodríguez I, Oses R, Torres-Díaz C. & Molina-Montenegro MA (2014) Genetic diversity of Colobanthus quitensis across the Drake Passage. Plant Genetic Resource 12: 47-50.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Torre-Díaz C, Gallardo-Cerda J, Leppe M, Gianoli E. (2013) El Niño drives the effects of seabirds in trees on a southern Pacific island. Ecology 94: 2415-2425.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Salgado-Luarte C, Oses R & Torres-Díaz C (2013) Is physiological performance a good predictor for fitness? Insights from an invasive plant species. PLoS ONE 8: 76432.
Stotz GC, Salgado-Luarte C, Ríos R, Acuña-Rodríguez IS, Carrasco-Urra F, Molina-Montenegro MA & Gianoli E. (2013) Trends in Antarctic ecological research in Latin America shown by publications in international journals. Polar Research 32: 19993.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Palma-Rojas C, Alcayaga-Olivares Y, Oses R, Corcuera LJ & Cavieres LA. (2013) Ecophysiological plasticity and local differentiation help explain the invasion success of Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) in South America. Ecography 36: 718-730.
Molina-Montenegro MA, Ricote-Martínez N, Muñoz-Ramírez C, Torres-Díaz C, Gómez-González S, Gianoli E. (2013) Positive interactions between the lichen Usnea antarctica (Parmeliaceae) and the native flora in Maritime Antarctica. Journal of Vegetation Science 24: 463-472.
Torres-Díaz C, Ruiz E, Salgado-Luarte C, Molina-Montenegro MA & Gianoli E. (2013) Within-population genetic diversity of climbing plants and trees in a temperate forest of central Chile. Gayana Botánica 70: 31-38.
2021 Fondecyt Regular. ASSESSING THE ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR BASIS OF THE FUNCTIONAL SYMBIOSIS: EXTREMOPHILE FUNGAL-ENDOPHYTES IMPROVE THE YIELD AND DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN CROPS
2021 Fondecyt Regular. INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR STUDY OF FUNCTIONAL SYMBIOSIS AS KEY STRATEGY TO COPE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS IN AGROECOSYSTEMS
2009-2011: Phenotypic plasticity in Colobanthus quitensis under a complex global change scenario. INACH. Chile. Investigador principal.
2010-2013: Do climbing plants exhibit greater population differentiation than trees or shrubs?: testing the key innovation hypothesis regarding the climbing habitat at an ecological time scale in the southern temperate rainforest. FONDECYT. Co-Investigador.
2012-2014: Evaluación del efecto “Nodriza” como estrategia para aumentar el éxito de establecimiento de especies endémicas de la Región de Coquimbo. CONAF 11/063. Investigador Principal.
2012-2015: Implementación de un plan de conservación, propagación y reintroducción de especies seleccionadas de la flora endémica de Paposo y su entorno. Ministerio del Medio Ambiente 011_342. Co-Investigador.
2011-2014: Role of fungal endophytes on the ecophysiological performance of vascular Antarctic plants. INACH G_22_11. Investigador Principal.
2012-2013: Uso de endófitos aislados de raíces de plantas antárticas como una potencial herramienta biotecnológica para mejorar la eficiencia en el uso del agua y rendimiento en cultivos de lechugas Proyecto Interno ULS-CEAZA 12_211. Investigador Principal.
2012-2014: How does quinoa deal with salt stress? Evaluation of architectural traits and transcription factors related to stress tolerance genes that make it a successful crop in a challenging environment. FONDECYT postdoctoral 3140624. Patrocinante.
2013-2015: Evolutionary history of the pearlwort Colobanthus quitensis: population genetics, phylogeographic patterns, and adaptive differentiations. INACH T_11_13. Investigador Principal.
2013-2015: Effects of fungal endophytes on ecophysiological performance and biochemical responses in Deschampsia antarctica plants under current and future global climate change scenario. FONDECYT postdoctoral 3140279. Patrocinante.
2014-2017: Efecto de los endófitos foliares sobre la fotoprotección, desempeño ecofisiológico y supervivencia de Deschampia antarctica en la Antártica marítima. FONDECYT postdoctoral 3150710. Patrocinante.
2014-2017: Evaluating the role of Antarctic root-endophytes on the ecophysiological performance, environmental tolerance and yield in Lettuce crops. FONDECYT 11140607. Investigador Principal.
2014-2016: Millennium Nucleus “Centre of Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Application in Agroecosystems”. Iniciativa Científica Milenio. Investigador Asociado.