Innovative Research Award
Laura Gomez-Devia
Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies of the University of the Balearic Islands (IMEDEA-UIB), Colombia
Laura Gomez-Devia is an early-career ecologist affiliated with the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies of the University of the Balearic Islands (IMEDEA-UIB), Spain, and originating from Colombia. Her research addresses biological invasions, ecological networks, functional traits, and island ecology, with particular emphasis on plant–animal interactions in tropical island systems. According to Scopus, her scholarly record includes 2 documents, 9 citations, and an h-index of 1 within the subject area of Ecology [1]. She is a candidate for recognition at the Botany Scientist Awards in the field of innovative ecological research [3].
Abstract
This article presents the academic profile of Laura Gomez-Devia in the context of the Innovative Research Award associated with the Botany Scientist Awards. Her work integrates field ecology, functional trait measurement, and network analysis to examine how invasive species and environmental gradients alter plant–animal interactions. Documented contributions include studies on temperature effects on fruit traits, pollination networks on tropical islands, and invasive rat impacts on ecosystem functions [4][5]. Scopus metrics record 2 documents, 9 citations, and an h-index of 1 [1].
Keywords
- Biological invasions
- Ecological networks
- Functional traits
- Species turnover
- Island ecology
- Pollination interactions
Introduction
Laura Gomez-Devia is a PhD candidate in the Terrestrial Ecology Lab Group within the Global Change research area at the Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB) in Esporles, Spain [2]. She completed an MSc in Biodiversity and Collection Management at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, with a thesis on temperature gradient effects on fruit traits and animal–plant interactions conducted at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). She holds a BSc in Biology from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, where her thesis examined the mobility of flavonoids from Passiflora ligularis leaves using capillary electrophoresis [6]. Her research trajectory combines tropical field ecology with quantitative analysis of ecological networks.
Research Profile
The researcher’s profile is characterized by international field experience across the Seychelles archipelago, Madagascar, Colombia, and Costa Rica. PhD fieldwork conducted in 2024 involved recording flower–pollinator interactions across nine islands under three rat-invasion scenarios: never invaded, rat-eradicated, and currently invaded [4]. Additional fieldwork on Frégate Island examined pollination interactions across vegetation types. Master’s fieldwork in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, measured functional fruit traits including sugar content, hardness, colour, size, and scent for five plant species [5]. Funding support includes the iMOVE CSIC 2026 grant, Santander Scholarship, María de Maetzu Travel Award, DAAD-STIBET Study Completion Scholarship, and Dr. Arthur Pfungst-Stiftung Scholarship. Research subjects listed in her scholarly record include Crop Science and Evolutionary Genomics, with publication counts of 2 in Evolutionary Genomics, 1 in Crop Science, 1 in Entomology, and 1 in Forestry, totalling 5 publications.
Research Contributions
Contributions span empirical ecology, methodological application, and synthesis. The 2026 manuscript under review addresses how invasive rats reshape ecosystem functions in tropical islands, identifying patterns, impacts, and knowledge gaps [4]. A peer-reviewed article in Plants examines how vegetation types and plant invasion shape pollination interactions on a tropical island [4]. A 2024 article in BMC Ecology and Evolution investigates temperature gradient effects on functional fruit traits using an elevation-for-temperature approach [5]. A book chapter in the 2021 volume on Passiflora ligularis Juss. presents analytical methodologies for the study and quantification of flavonoids in leaf extracts [6]. Conference presentations include talks at the 5th Island Biology Conference (2026, Atami, Japan), the 61st Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (2025, Oaxaca, Mexico), and XXII Ecoflor (2025, León, Spain), as well as posters at the 6th European Conference of Tropical Ecology (2023) and the 7th Brazilian Conference on Natural Products (2019).
Publications
The publication record of Laura Gomez-Devia includes peer-reviewed articles, a book chapter, a field guide, and a manuscript under review, focusing on plant–animal interactions, functional traits, and biological invasions in tropical island systems. A 2026 manuscript examines how invasive rats reshape ecosystem functions in tropical islands [4].
A 2026 article in Plants investigates how vegetation types and plant invasion shape pollination networks on a tropical island [4]. A 2024 article in BMC Ecology and Evolution examines temperature gradient effects on functional fruit traits using an elevation-for-temperature approach [5].
A 2021 book chapter presents methodologies for quantifying flavonoids in Passiflora ligularis leaf extracts [6]. A 2019 infographic field guide documents campus avifauna at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá [6]. Together, these works demonstrate sustained engagement across laboratory, field, and synthesis domains.
Research Impact
Scopus metrics for the researcher record 9 citations, 2 documents, and an h-index of 1 [1]. The subject area classification is Ecology. Publication distribution across research subjects includes Evolutionary Genomics (2), Crop Science (1), Entomology (1), and Forestry (1), with a total of 5 publications. These indicators are consistent with an early-career researcher whose work is beginning to accumulate scholarly attention. The 2024 article in BMC Ecology and Evolution provides a methodological contribution through its elevation-for-temperature approach to functional fruit trait analysis [5]. The 2026 Plants article contributes empirical evidence on how vegetation types and plant invasion jointly structure pollination interactions on tropical islands [4].
Award Suitability
The researcher’s profile aligns with the Innovative Research Award criteria associated with the Botany Scientist Awards [3]. Indicators of suitability include: a sustained record of peer-reviewed publication in international journals indexed in Scopus; integration of field ecology with functional trait and network analysis; research addressing globally relevant themes of biological invasions, island ecology, and pollination networks; documented international field experience across the Seychelles, Madagascar, Colombia, and Costa Rica; competitive funding and scholarship awards; and conference presentations at international scientific meetings. The combination of empirical fieldwork, methodological development, and synthesis-oriented research supports consideration for recognition in botanical and ecological research.
Conclusion
Laura Gomez-Devia represents an early-career researcher whose work addresses the ecological consequences of invasive species and environmental gradients in tropical island systems. Her publication record, field experience, funding history, and conference activity collectively demonstrate active engagement with contemporary questions in ecology and botanical research [1][4][5]. Recognition through the Innovative Research Award would acknowledge contributions to understanding plant–animal interactions and the functional consequences of biological invasions.
External Links
References
- Elsevier. (n.d.). Scopus author details: Laura Gomez-Devia, Author ID 59212393900. Scopus.
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=59212393900
- ORCID. (n.d.). Laura Gomez-Devia, ORCID 0009-0003-9476-9768. ORCID Registry.
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9476-9768
- Botany Scientist Awards. (n.d.). Innovative Research Award. Botany Scientist.
https://botanyscientist.com/
- Gómez-Devia, L., Kaiser-Bunbury, C. N., Traveset, A., & Costa, A. (2026). Vegetation types and plant invasion shape pollination interactions on a tropical island. Plants, 15(18), Article 2845.
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15182845
- Gómez-Devia, L., & Nevo, O. (2024). Effects of temperature gradient on functional fruit traits: An elevation-for-temperature approach. BMC Ecology and Evolution, 24, Article 94.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-024-02271-w
- Ospina Giraldo, L. F., Castellanos Hernández, L., Ramos Rodríguez, F. A., Modesti Costa, G., et al. (2021). Passiflora ligularis Juss. (granadilla): Estudios químicos y farmacológicos de una planta con potencial terapéutico. Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/82289