Homepage

 

My lab investigates the evolutionary and ecological processes driving the success of plants in a changing climate, specially under highly variable and extreme weather conditions. Part of my current research has focused on understanding the evolution of plant-microbe interactions across multiple plant hosts adapted to variable and nutrient poor conditions. I use a broad set of tools including genomic and molecular techniques, manipulative greenhouse experiments and niche modelling. 

If you are an undergraduate student at SMCM and you are interested in getting research skills and experiences in evolutionary ecology please reach out to me!

Research

A critical challenge faced by ecologists today is developing a general framework for assessing how species will respond to projected shifts in climate. Ecological and genetic factors influencing short-term and long-term population dynamics such as population size, survival, fecundity and reproduction are processes that ultimately will define their adaptive potential to respond to variable environments.  I have focused my research on understanding these ecological and genetic processes in natural populations of plant species, particularly the influence of gene flow patterns in the adaptive potential of patchily distributed species.

 

 

Publications

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

2026

17. Torres-Martínez, L. Escalona, M., Toffelmier, E., Miller, C., Shaffer, B., Purcell, J and J.L. Sachs.. 2026. Chromosome-level reference genome of a foundational California native legume, Acmispon strigosus. Journal of Heredity, 00:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esag007

2025

16. Torres-Martínez, L. 2025. Invited Commentary: Shedding new light on the effects of domestication in plant–microbe interactions. New Phytologist, 249: 1566-1568. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70837

2024

15. Kehlet-Delgado, H., Montoya, A.P., Jensen, K., Wendlandt, C.E., Torres-Martínez, L., Dexheimer, C., Roberts, R., Friesen, M. L., Griffith, J.S. & S.S. Porter. 2024. The evolutionary genomics of adaptation to stress in wild soil microbiota. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(13)

2023

14. Rahman, A., Manci, M., Cassandra N., Perez, I.A, Farsamin, W.F., Lampe, M.T, Le, T.H., Torres-Martínez, L., Weisberg, A.J., Chang, J.H & J.L. Sachs. 2023.Competitive interference among rhizobia reduces legume benefits. Current Biology, 33:2988-3001

13. Ortiz-Barbosa G.S., Torres-Martinez, L., Rothschild, J.,  and , J.L. Sachs. 2022. Lotus japonicus regulates root nodulation and nitrogen fixation dependent on the molecular form of nitrogen fertilizer. Plant and Soil, 483(1-2): 533-545

12. Manci, M., OG Mercado, RX Camantigue, T Nguyen, J Rothschild, F Khairi, S Neal, WF Farsamin, MT Lampe, IA Perez, TH Le, GS Ortiz-Barbosa, L Torres-Martínez, JL Sachs. 2022. Live soil inocula, not host population or domestication status, is the predominant driver of growth benefits to cowpea. Plant and Soil, 482 (1-2), 585-600

2022

11. Santamaría-Acevedo, L., Levy, M.M., Torres-Martínez, L., Marchant, S., Rondón-González, F., Stashenko, E.E., Levy, M., and J.L. Fuentes. 2022. Genome-derived microsatellite markers in Lippia origanoides from Colombia.  Journal of Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants, 00:1-15.

10. Lumibao, C., Torres-Martínez, L., Megonigal, P., Van Bael, S., and M. Blum. 2022. Microbial mediation of salinity stress response varies by plant genotype and provenance over time. Molecular Ecology, 00:1-15.

2021

9. Ortiz-Barbosa G.S., Torres-Martínez L., Neal S., Soubra T., Khairi F., Trinh J., Cardenas P., Porter A. and J.L. Sachs. 2021. No disruption of rhizobial symbiosis during early stages of cowpea domestication. Evolution. 76: 496-511.

8. Torres-Martínez, L., Porter, S. S, Wendlandt, C. E, Purcell, J., Ortiz-Barbosa, G.S., Rothschild, J., Lampe, M., Warisha, F., Le, T. , Weisberg, A.J, Chang, J.H  and J. L. Sachs. 2021. Evolution of specialization in a plant-microbial mutualism is explained by the oscillation theory of speciation. Evolution, 75: 1070-1086

2020

7. Torres-Martínez, L., Sánchez-Julia, M., Kimbrough, E., Hendrix, T.C., Hendrix, M., Day, R.H., Krauss, K.W and S.A. Van Bael. 2020. Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events. Plant Ecology, 221: 773–793

2019

6. Torres-Martínez, L., McCarten, N. and N.C. Emery. 2019. Adaptive potential of plant populations under extreme climate events. Ecology Letters, 22 (5): 866-874

5.  Tittes S, Walker J, Torres-Martínez L and N.C. Emery. 2019. Grow where you thrive or where only you can survive? A Bayesian analysis of tolerance curve evolution in a clade with diverse habitat affinities. The American Naturalist, 193, 530-544

2018-2016

4. Torres-Martínez, L, P. Weldy, M. Levy and N.C. Emery. 2017. Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in precipitation patterns explain population-level germination strategies in an edaphic specialist. Part of special issue on endemism hotspots in Annals of Botany, 119 (2): 253-265

3. Torres-Martínez, L. and N.C. Emery. 2016. Using RADseq to discover SNP markers in the California vernal pool endemic herb, Lasthenia fremontii (Asteraceae). Conservation Genetic Resources, 8:145–158.

BOOK CHAPTERS

2. Schuster M., Torres Martínez L., Dukes J.S. 2012. Distribution of terrestrial ecosystems and changes in plant community composition. In: Freedman B. (Ed.) Global Environmental Change. Handbook of Global Environmental Pollution. Springer Netherlands, pp. 341-347.

1. Emery, N, L. Torres-Martínez, E. Forrestel, B.G. Baldwin and Ackerly, D.D. 2011. The ecology, evolution and diversification of the Vernal Pool Niche in Lasthenia (Madieae, Asteraceae) p 39- 57. In: Alexander, D.G and R.A. Schlising. 2011. Research & Recovery in Vernal Pool Landscapes. Studies from the Herbarium. Number 16. California State University, Chico.

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Sweet, L.C., S. Heacox, M. Davis, P. Ramstead, L. Torres-Martínez, C. Barrows. 2020. Monitoring Results for the triple ribbed milkvetch (Astragalus tricarinatus) within the Coachella Valley MSHCP Area. Final Report. Prepared for: Coachella Valley Conservation Commission.

Bocanegra, J.L, C. Villafañe, R. Moreno, L. Torres M, A. Velásquez, L. Fory and G. Gallego. 2010. Genetic Characterization of wild cultivars and species of yucca (Manihot sp.) on the Colombian Amazon and Orinoco. In: Capacity building for implementation of the Protocol of Cartagena in Colombia: Sector Ambiente – / Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt; Orjuela-R. M.A. y Moreno V. R. (comp.). Bogotá D.C.: Colombia: Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial; Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.

Villafañe, C., J.L. Bocanegra, R. Moreno, L. Torres M, V.H. García. 2010. Genetic Characterization of wild cultivars of rice (Oryza spp.) collected in Vichada Colombia. In: Capacity building for implementation of the Protocol of Cartagena in Colombia: Sector Ambiente – / Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt; Orjuela-R. M.A. y Moreno V. R. (comp.). Bogotá D.C.: Colombia: Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial; Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Torres L, Lopez D, Palacio J.D., Duque M.C., Perez Galindo C.A., Gonzalez Vargas I.A and H.C. Cardenas. 2009.  Evaluation of the Polymorphism of Microsatellites Markers in Guadua angustifolia (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). VIII World Bamboo Congress Proceedings, 5: 64-79.