• The assessment of the phenotypic variation in flower shape occurring in several species of Erysimum. For this, we apply the landmark-based geometric morphometrics tools to the study of flower shape as a novel approach.riables, such as flower shape, on plant fitness.
People interested in a more technical and methodological explanation of geometric morphometrics can visit the Stony Brook Morphometric website.

• To study of any potential adaptive function of flower shape, and the role played by pollinators as selective pressures. To fulfill this objective, we are currently conducting several studies with different Erysimum species, determining the relationships between flower shape and fitness estimates (using as possible accurate and inclusive estimates, rather than the standard incomplete estimates), the effect of major pollinators in these relationships, and the preference pattern and effectiveness of major pollinators. To put together all these pieces of information, we use structural equation modeling with latent variables. We think that, by applying this advance multivariate technique, we are able to model the effect complex variables, such as flower shape, on plant fitness. To build our models, we usually use SEPATH module in Statistica 7.0 and MPlus.
In addition, people interested in further information regarding SEM can visit the main mailing list on the topic, SEMNET.

• As an additional proof of the role of pollinator as selective agents on flower shape, we are interested in determine the spatial variation in selective scenarios provoked by a concomitant change in pollinator fauna. For this, we simultaneous study several plant populations looking for any effect of pollinators on plant reproduction and flower shape. This geographical approach requires the use of spatially explicit models. We are developing the most appropriate methodology to perform these analyses, like Geographically Weighted Regressions (GWR) or Spatial Generalized Linear Models (geo-GLM).
People interested in GWR should visit the A.S. Fotheringham 's homepage, whereas those interested in geo-GLM should visit the R homepage.