Rafael D'Andrea is interested in how species interactions create order in complex ecosystems. His research addresses questions such as: 'What are the key mechanisms behind species coexistence in highly biodiverse communities such as tropical forests?', 'What are the relative roles of deterministic and stochastic forces in shaping biodiversity and influencing species coexistence?' and 'What can species traits reveal about the forces underlying ecological dynamics?'

He uses mathematical modeling and computer simulations to investigate how elements of biological complexity impact community diversity and trait structure. Focusing on competitive dynamics, he has examined how outcomes are affected by immigration, regional diversity, genetic mutations, multidimensional niche space, intraspecific variation, demographic structure, and environmental spatial structure.

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