Ruben Heleno will contribute with experience in the construction and analysis of
seed dispersal networks, including multilayer networks. RH has 15 years of experience working on
seed dispersal networks, particularly on islands, and on using ecological networks to inform
conservation efforts and to advance ecological and biogeographical theory. He is particularly
interested in exploring ways to jointly consider the functional roles of frugivorous and nonfrugivorous seed dispersers and on evaluating the relevance of diaspore adaptations to favor longdistance dispersal mechanisms. RH is also interested on the role of fruiting phenology and longdistance bird migration on plant recruitment and hence on future forest composition at continental
scales. He will collaborate on all steps of the research, including on the identification of the main
knowledge gaps, the definition of the best methodologies to tackle them, data acquisition and on the
analysis, interpretation, and communication of the project result.