Community assembly and species evolution

We investigate the processes that structure biodiversity spatially and that generate new species, taking advantage of the simplicity of islands relative to continental environments. Thus, the group conducts research from the level of individuals to the level of communities of species. A fundamental objective of the line is to develop and implement techniques that allow us to overcome logistical constraints, both for community assembly and speciation research. To overcome the constraints of geographic and taxonomic scales that limit work at the community level, we integrate DNA sequencing techniques that also provide information on the demographic history of species. This approach allows us to work with previously inaccessible elements of biodiversity, such as the great diversity of soil-dwelling micro arthropods. To identify the processes that cause speciation, we use modern genomic techniques that are applied in the context of incipient speciation systems.

Image