Elisa Lobato

The area of scientific activity were I develop my research is Evolutionary Ecology.

In the last years I have been developing my work on immunoecology studies, combining field work on animal ecology and laboratory immunology to investigate the variability immune function among individuals, populations and species. As a study model, I have been working with wild bird populations and their natural parasites. 

My current research aims at understanding the particular adaptations and life history patterns associated with island life. In particular, I am studying how the life on islands, which are characterized by singular but consistent environmental changes, influences the evolution of host-parasite interactions. Together with my collaborators Rita Covas, Claire Doutrelant and Martim Melo, we are interested in the study of the cascading effects of the variation in host-parasite interactions on sexually selected traits on island birds.