Research Interests
I am primarily interested in natural history, ecology, and animal behavior. I am also interested in empirical research that has direct conservation implications, particularly in the face of climate change and other environmental threats.
My research has largely focused on how and why animals alter their behavior in response to changing environments and interactions with predators, conspecifics, and other organisms. I use field and laboratory experiments to understand the context-specific effects of predators on prey across life stages, as well as the ecological, sensory, and behavioral mechanisms underlying these interactions. I also apply advanced statistical approaches, including machine learning models, to detect, describe, and predict complex, ecologically relevant relationships between environmental conditions, behavioral responses, and broader population dynamics.
Professional Appointments
Postdoctoral Researcher, Florida International University
I am a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Nathan Dorn’s Aquatic Ecology Lab, associated with the Institute of Environment at Florida International University. My research generally focuses on understanding predator-prey interactions and small animal population dynamics in South Florida’s Everglades. I have specifically examined the behavioral responses of native crayfish to the invasive Asian swamp eel using laboratory experiments. I also used advanced statistical approaches, including machine learning models, to detect, describe, and predict the hydrologic determinants of crayfish abundance and its consequences for wading bird reproductive success in the southwestern Everglades.
PhD Dissertation Researcher, Boston University
Since 2017, I have been observing and monitoring the explosive breeding events of gliding treefrogs (Agalychnis spurrelli) on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. My research has so far examined the phenology and environmental determinants of breeding in gliding treefrogs, the reproductive behavior and success of adults, and the determinants of differences in embryo escape responses to snake attacks. Collectively, my work has expanded our understanding of the reproductive ecology of tropical anuran species with explosive-breeding strategies and has broader implications for understanding how breeding patterns and mating strategies can affect behavior at multiple life stages.
Projects
Native Crayfish fail to recognize and respond to invasive Asian Swamp Eels
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Dorn, NJ (2026) Lack of behavioral response of a native crayfish to the invasive predatory swamp eel. Oecologia 208, 105 Full text
Press: Native Naivete, National Parks Magazine, National Parks Conservation Association, Spring 2026
Deadly Naivete, Florida International University Research Magazine, Florida International University 2025
White-Faced Capuchins eat Gliding Treefrog eggs on the Osa Peninsula
Peer-reviewed Publication: Floyd Hannah, Flatt E, González K, Güell BA (2025) Predation on gliding treefrog (Agalychnis spurrelli) eggs by Central American white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Reptiles & Amphibians 32(1), e24098 Full text
Birds in the Florida Everglades are eating the invasive Asian Swamp Eel
Peer-reviewed Publication: Lippert VG, Arrison KA, Güell BA (2025) Novel Observations of Predation on the Invasive Monopterus albus/javanensis (Asian Swamp Eel) in Everglades National Park. Southeastern Naturalist. 24(2), N1–N6. Full text
Egg-clutch biomechanics affect escape-hatching behavior and performance
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, McDaniel JG, Warkentin KM (2024) Egg-clutch biomechanics affect escape-hatching behavior and performance. Integrative Organismal Biology.6(1): obae006. Full text
Press: Buzz buzz. Why won’t you just pick up hatch?, Integrative Organismal Biology, Spring 2024
Why do Gliding Treefrogs suck at escape hatching in snake attacks?
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2023) To hatch and hatch not: does heterochrony in onset of vestibular mechanosensing explain species differences in escape-hatching success of Agalychnis embryos in snake attacks? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 77:141. Full text
Phenology and environmental determinants of explosive breeding in Gliding Treefrogs: diel timing of rainfall matters
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2023) Phenology and environmental determinants of explosive breeding in gliding treefrogs: diel timing of rainfall matters. Behavioral Ecology, 34(6), 1023–1035. Full text
Press: Featured in BBC’s Planet Earth III Freshwater Episode
Developmental changes in red-eyed treefrog embryo behavior increase escape-hatching success in wasp attacks
Peer-reviewed Publication: Gomez EK, Chaiyasarikul A, Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2023) Developmental changes in red-eyed treefrog embryo behavior increase escape-hatching success in wasp attacks. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 77, 52. Full text
Explosive breeding and a novel release call in the Central American Milk Frog
Peer-reviewed Publication: Barrio-Amorós CL, Güell BA, (2023) The Central American milk frog Trachycephalus “vermiculatus” (Anura, Hylidae); observations of explosive breeding activity and a novel release call. Reptiles & Amphibians 30(1), e18452. Full text
Facultative parthenogenesis in a captive Tarahumara Mountain Boa (Boa sigma)
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Rose F, Bordne CM (2022) Facultative parthenogenesis in a captive Tarahumara mountain boa (Boa sigma). Reptiles & Amphibians 29(1), 411-412. Full text
Ontogeny of risk assessment and escape-hatching performance by red-eyed treefrog embryos in two threat contexts
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Jung J, Almanzar A, Diaz JC, Warkentin KM (2022) Ontogeny of risk assessment and escape-hatching performance by red-eyed treefrog embryos in two threat contexts. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(20): jeb244533. Full text
Dehydration-induced mortality and premature hatching in gliding treefrogs with even small reductions in humidity
Peer-reviewed Publication: González K, Warkentin KM, Güell BA (2021) Dehydration-induced mortality and premature hatching in gliding treefrogs with even small reductions in humidity. Ichthyology and Herpetology, 109(1), 21-30. Full text
» Awarded 2021 Best Paper (Herpetology) in Ichthyology and Herpetology
Egg-kicking behaviour by male gliding treefrogs (Agalychnis spurrelli Boulenger, 1913) does not dislodge competitors’ eggs
Peer-reviewed Publication: Gomez EK, Warkentin KM, Güell BA (2021) Egg-kicking behaviour by male gliding treefrogs (Agalychnis spurrelli Boulenger, 1913) does not dislodge competitors’ eggs. Herpetology Notes, 14, 157-161. Full text
Observations of atypically colored wild Gliding and Red-eyed Treefrogs
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Sánchez M, Gallo S, Garro D, Paniagua D, Barrio-Amorós C (2021) Multiple observations of atypical coloration in Central American Agalychnis treefrogs (Anura: Phyllomedusidae). Herpetology Notes, 14, 151-155. Full text
Caimans and Tiger Herons prey on Gliding Treefrogs during breeding
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, González K, Pedroso-Santos F (2019) Opportunistic predation by two aquatic-feeding predators on an explosive-breeding aggregation of arboreal gliding treefrogs (Agalychnis spurrelli Boulenger, 1913; Anura: Phyllomedusidae) on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. Herpetology Notes, 12, 795-798. Full text
Explosive breeding in Gliding Treefrogs
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, González K(2019) Mating mayhem. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(2), 128-128. Full text
Light cues inform hatching timing and direction in Red-eyed Treefrogs
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2018) When and where to hatch? Red-eyed treefrog embryos use light cues in two contexts. PeerJ, 6:e6018. Full text
Red-Eyed Treefrogs hatch to hypoxia, then physical disturbance cues
Peer-reviewed Publication: Güell BA, Warkentin KM, Diaz JC, Güell BA, Jung J, Kim SJ, Cohen KL (2017) Developmental onset of escape hatching responses in red-eyed treefrogs depend on cue type. Animal Behaviour, 129, 103–112. Full text
Publications
(16 papers, 9 first-authored, 5 senior-authored; undergrad/intern co-authors; Google Scholar Page)
21. Jung J, Güell BA, Warkentin KM (in prep) Temperature-induced heterokairy in vestibular system development matches changes in the onset of mechanosensory-cued hatching in red-eyed treefrogs.
20. Güell BA, Aichelman H, Davies, SW, Warkentin KM (in prep) Alternative reproductive tactics in male gliding treefrogs: nonamplexed males increase reproductive success using sneaking and post-mating clutch piracy.
19. Güell BA, Dorn NJ (in prep) Hydrologically-mediated crayfish resource availability regulates wading bird breeding in the southwestern Everglades.
18. Herrera A, Güell BA, Cook, MI, Dorn NJ (submitted to Oikos 7/10/2026) Optimal Foraging by an Invasive Eel: Testing Predictions with Observational Data.
17. Güell BA, Dorn, NJ (2026) Lack of behavioral response of a native crayfish to the invasive predatory swamp eel. Oecologia 208, 105. Full text
16.Floyd Hannah, Flatt E, González K, Güell BA (2025) Predation on gliding treefrog (Agalychnis spurrelli) eggs by Central American white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Reptiles & Amphibians 32(1), e24098 Full text
15.Lippert VG, Arrison KA, Güell BA (2025) Novel Observations of Predation on the Invasive Monopterus albus/javanensis (Asian Swamp Eel) in Everglades National Park. Southeastern Naturalist. 24(2), N1–N6. Full text
14. Güell BA, McDaniel JG, Warkentin KM (2024) Egg-clutch biomechanics affect escape-hatching behavior and performance. Integrative Organismal Biology.6(1): obae006. Full text
13. Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2023) To hatch and hatch not: does heterochrony in onset of vestibular mechanosensing explain species differences in escape-hatching success of Agalychnis embryos in snake attacks? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 77:141. Full text
12. Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2023) Phenology and environmental determinants of explosive breeding in gliding treefrogs: diel timing of rainfall matters. Behavioral Ecology, 34(6), 1023–1035. Full text
» Highlighted in journal photo cover
11. Gomez EK, Chaiyasarikul A, Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2023) Developmental changes in red-eyed treefrog embryo behavior increase escape-hatching success in wasp attacks. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 77, 52. Full text
10. Barrio-Amorós CL, Güell BA, (2023) The Central American milk frog Trachycephalus “vermiculatus” (Anura, Hylidae); observations of explosive breeding activity and a novel release call. Reptiles & Amphibians 30(1), e18452.Full text
9. Güell BA, Rose F, Bordne CM (2022) Facultative parthenogenesis in a captive Tarahumara mountain boa (Boa sigma). Reptiles & Amphibians 29(1), 411-412. Full text
8. Güell BA, Jung J, Almanzar A, Diaz JC, Warkentin KM (2022) Ontogeny of risk assessment and escape-hatching performance by red-eyed treefrog embryos in two threat contexts. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(20): jeb244533.Full text
7. González K, Warkentin KM, Güell BA (2021) Dehydration-induced mortality and premature hatching in gliding treefrogs with even small reductions in humidity. Ichthyology and Herpetology, 109(1), 21-30. Full text
» Awarded 2021 Best Paper (Herpetology) in Ichthyology and Herpetology
6. Gomez EK, Warkentin KM, Güell BA (2021) Egg-kicking behaviour by male gliding treefrogs (Agalychnis spurrelli Boulenger, 1913) does not dislodge competitors’ eggs. Herpetology Notes, 14, 157-161. Full text
5. Güell BA, Sánchez M, Gallo S, Garro D, Paniagua D, Barrio-Amorós C (2021) Multiple observations of atypical coloration in Central American Agalychnis treefrogs (Anura: Phyllomedusidae). Herpetology Notes, 14, 151-155. Full text
4. Güell BA, González K, Pedroso-Santos F (2019) Opportunistic predation by two aquatic-feeding predators on an explosive-breeding aggregation of arboreal gliding treefrogs (Agalychnis spurrelli Boulenger, 1913; Anura: Phyllomedusidae) on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. Herpetology Notes, 12, 795-798. Full text
3. Güell BA, González K(2019) Mating mayhem. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(2), 128-128. Full text
2. Güell BA, Warkentin KM (2018) When and where to hatch? Red-eyed treefrog embryos use light cues in two contexts. PeerJ, 6:e6018. Full text
1. Warkentin KM, Diaz JC, Güell BA, Jung J, Kim SJ, Cohen KL (2017) Developmental onset of escape hatching responses in red-eyed treefrogs depend on cue type. Animal Behaviour, 129, 103–112. Full text