The mission of the Terrestrial Research in Ecology and Evolution (TREE) Laboratory is to contribute to the conservation and protection of Philippine Biodiversity through research, education, and community engagement. Our research thrust is the biology, taxonomy, conservation ecology, and phylogenetics of terrestrial species/systems. Much of our work is focused on snails, insects, figs and fig wasps, native trees, earthworms, and vertebrate wildlife. 

Specifically, we are interested in vertebrate biology and ecology, terrestrial community ecology, biocultural diversity conservation, ethnobotany, plant-animal mutualistic networks in urban green spaces, recruitment limitation of tree species in reforested landscapes, forest succession after disturbances in geothermal sites, ecology and evolution of Philippine fig-wasp systems, diversity and taxonomy of Philippine Brachyceran true flies (Diptera), succession of carrion-related insects especially in Dipterans and Coleopterans.