Seminarios de investigación 2024

En esta página encontrarás información sobre los seminarios de investigación organizados por el MNCN en colaboración con la Sociedad de Amigos del Museo (SAM).

JUNIO

Adaptive Radiation: Isolation & Ecological Divergence

Ponentes: Rosemary G. Gillespie, Senior Fellow, Jesus College Oxford (sabbatical), Professor, Univ of California, Berkeley, US

Fecha y hora: viernes 21 de junio de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Adaptive radiation is one of the key drivers of species diversity, yet the mechanism through which it is achieved, and the outcome of the process, are largely unknown. In many lineages, initial divergence results from environmental or sexual selection leading to divergence of species between environments and subsequent secondary contact. In other lineages, initial reproductive isolation may be achieved without divergent selection; here, ecological niche divergence can develop as a result of interactions between close relatives during secondary contact. The Hawaiian archipelago – in which each island provides a snapshot in time of the evolutionary process – is one system that can offer insights into the processes of adaptive radiation, allowing the early stages of radiation to be studied in real time. I identify lineages in which the abiotic environment appears to play the dominant role in adaptive diversification, with repeated and convergent evolution of sets of taxa adapted to similar sets of environmental conditions. In contrast, divergence in other lineages appears to be the result of character displacement associated with direct interaction between close relatives, leading to convergent evolution of niche-specialized ecomorphs within a given environment. I will discuss the importance of differentiating between patterns to understand the processes that underpin adaptive radiation.
 

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Risks posed by invasive alien species to the provision of ecosystem services

Ponentes: Belinda Gallardo, Tenured Researcher at Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE), CSIC. PI of the Group of Ecological Restoration.

Fecha y hora: viernes 7 de junio de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Invasive species significantly affect biodiversity and ecosystem services, but understanding these impacts across broad spatial scales is challenging. Our research reveals a critical mismatch: heavily invaded regions—mainly urban and agricultural, key for provisioning services—differ sharply from areas most vulnerable to invasions, which are pristine and biodiverse landscapes crucial for regulating and supporting services. This discrepancy is shaped by the pathways through which invasive species are introduced and their typically opportunistic traits. However, as climate change and human-transportation progress, we expect invasive species to increasingly encroach on these natural areas, intensifying their impacts. Specifically, our research has shown that invasive species cause cascading impacts on the abundance of native communities that depend on the feeding strategy of the invader. We have also demonstrated that the level of invasion of Europe’s protected areas depends on the time since the park’s establishment, its accessibility and type of management. Most notably, ecosystem services that are heavily co-created by human activities, such as crop provisioning, nitrogen retention, and outdoor recreation, are the most compromised by invasions. This research underscores the importance of aligning management strategies with international biodiversity targets, considering both invasion vulnerability and the sustainability of ecosystem services. This comprehensive approach is vital for addressing the complex challenges posed by invasive species in the context of global change.
 

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MAYO

The interplay between species distributions and their biotic interactions

Ponentes: Nuria Galiana, Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC)

Fecha y hora: viernes 31 de mayo de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Network Biogeography is an emerging field that offers new opportunities to better understand the distribution and dynamics of Life on Earth. By integrating network approaches with biogeographic principles, my research aims to understand how the environment shapes ecological communities and how biotic interactions shape global biodiversity patterns. By combining theory and data exploration, I will elucidate the importance of the interplay between the spatial distribution of species and their biotic interactions for the assembly of ecological communities. Specifically, I will show how the existence of super-generalist species, possessing both broad environmental tolerance and diet generality, is key for the assembly of robust ecological communities.
 

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Seminario de investigación polar Andrés Barbosa

The Antarctic Tree of Life

Ponente: Luis R. Pertierra, Investigador Ramón y Cajal del Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales

Fecha y hora: viernes 24 de mayo de 13:00 a 14:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

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A Decade Investigating the campo rupestre: a megadiverse ecosystem along a tropical mountain chain

Ponentes: Frederico de Siqueira Neves, del Insect Ecology Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil &  Juliana Kuchenbecker, del Evolutionary Ecology and Biodiversity Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Fecha y hora: viernes 17 de mayo de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: This presentation will focus on the campo rupestre, an ancient and diverse tropical system occupying the mountains of the Espinhaço range in central South America. In the first part – The campo rupestre as a model for ecological and evolutionary studies in neotropical systems, Professor Frederico Neves will introduce the campo rupestre ecosystem and the Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LTER) conducted in this system. An example of a long-term study along the elevation gradient will also be presented. In the second part – Spatiotemporal dynamics of insects on altimontane forest islands, postdoctoral fellow Juliana Kuchenbecker will discuss the intricate dynamics of insect metacommunities within forest islands surrounded by the campo rupestre's grassland matrix. She evaluates these dynamics under natural conditions and also explores the impact of fire on associated insect communities. This comprehensive exploration sheds light on the ecological complexities of the campo rupestre and its significance for ecological and evolutionary studies in the tropical mountains.
 

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Selection and variation in insect behaviour in the wild

Ponentes: Tom Tregenza, Professor of Evolutionary Ecology, Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall (UK)

Fecha y hora: viernes 10 de mayo de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Anticipating the impacts of climate change and habitat loss requires an understanding of how organisms are adapted to their environment.  Behaviour provides animals with extreme plasticity, giving it a unique role in evolutionary ecology. Small ectotherms can use behaviour to change their local climate to a much greater extent than larger animals. To study behaviour in wild insects, we have developed approaches that allow us to observe every adult in a natural population of crickets (Gryllus campestris) in a meadow in northern Spain.  By taking tiny DNA samples from parents and their offspring we can assign parentage and relate variation in behavioural and other traits to fitness.  I will discuss observations of variation in selection in behavioural and other traits across years and experiments examining evidence for local adaptation in behaviour.  My aim is to provide insights into the extent to which behavioural plasticity and local adaptation will affect how insects and other small ectotherms are impacted by environmental change.
 

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ABRIL

Assessing and developing the practical utility of process-explicit models for biodiversity predictions

Ponentes: Gurutzeta Guillera Arroita, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)

Fecha y hora: viernes 19 de abril de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: reliable future predictions of the status of populations and species distributions are needed in the face of global environmental change. They are key to ensure society can anticipate change and take a proactive decision-making approach to management and policy, to minimize impacts on biodiversity and leverage well designed adaptation and mitigation strategies. Currently, static correlative approaches are most often used to predict species distributions but there is potential to improve the way we make such predictions by incorporating observation and ecological process more explicitly in models. Here I will discuss work testing such approaches and developing associated methodologies and tools, to enhance their practical utility. Models that directly capture occupancy dynamics seem a promising step forward but require methodological developments and more work assessing their performance.
 

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Climate variability, thermal physiology, and species distributions: Are mountain streams higher in the tropics?

Ponentes: Cameron Ghalambor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Fecha y hora: viernes 12 de abril de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Does climate variability drive patterns of species diversity in temperate and tropical aquatic insects? It has long been recognized that species diversity is higher in the tropics, but the mechanisms that generate geographic variation in species diversity remain unresolved. One hypothesis to explain higher tropical biodiversity relates to reduced climate variability. Lower climate variability in the tropics is predicted to favor narrower physiological tolerance to temperature, reduced dispersal capacity and higher species turnover across elevational gradients. These outcomes in turn could favor greater population genetic divergence and higher speciation rates. In this presentation, we present results from a comparative study of temperate and tropical aquatic insects that tests the assumptions and predictions of the climate variability hypothesis. While we find support for many aspects of this hypothesis, we also find interesting deviations that suggest greater complexity in the mechanisms that favor latitudinal and elevational variation in species diversity.
 

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Mutual ornamentation and breeding decisions in seabirds

Ponentes: Roxana Torres, Instituto de Ecología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) 

Fecha y hora: viernes 5 de abril de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: In species with sexual reproduction, breeding success is often linked to extravagant or ornamental traits, such as colourful traits displayed during courtship. Although in many species these traits are expressed in both males and females, most research has focused on male ornaments. In this talk, I will show that skin colour displayed by both sexes in the blue-footed and brown boobies is a condition-dependent sexual trait that varies with ecological conditions and may influence breeding decisions. I will argue that mutual ornamentation in these species may be linked to behavioural interactions between partners varying from apparently conflict to cooperation. 
 

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MARZO

El oso pardo en la Cordillera Cantábrica. Modelos de expansión, patrones de conflictos y comunicación intraespecífica

Se resumen los resultados del Grupo Investigación Oso Cantábrico, que estudia ecología y comportamiento del oso pardo.

Ponentes: Alejandra Zarzo Arias, investigadora postdoctoral del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC) y Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) y Vincenzo Penteriani, investigador del Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC)

Fecha y hora: viernes 15 de marzo de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Se presentan algunos de los resultados principales que el Grupo de Investigación del Oso Cantábrico ha conseguido desde que en 2014 empezó un estudio a largo plazo sobre la población de oso pardo de la Cordillera Cantábrica. En primer lugar, comentaremos la reciente recuperación y expansión de la población de osos pardos en la región. Se discuten principalmente los factores que han contribuido a este aumento, como las medidas de conservación y la disponibilidad de hábitats adecuados. Se hace hincapié en las preferencias de hábitat de las dos subpoblaciones (occidental y oriental), como son por ejemplo las áreas de altitud y con alta disponibilidad de bosque que aporta refugio y alimento, así como la reducida presencia humana. A continuación, se profundiza en los patrones de conflictos que surgen de la convivencia entre los osos pardos y los humanos, especialmente en relación con el ganado, la agricultura y la apicultura. Se examinan las potenciales causas de estos conflictos relacionadas con la estacionalidad y el ciclo de vida de los osos, así como las estrategias de mitigación y coexistencia implementadas para minimizar el impacto negativo en ambas partes. Finalmente, se presentan las recientes investigaciones sobre comunicación intraespecífica por medio de señales químicas y visuales.

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Leyes y generalidad en ecología evolutiva: desafíos de la investigación en desiertos

¿Puede generalizarse la investigación en desiertos más allá de los sitios y años en que se realiza?

Ponente: Luis Marone, Grupo de Ecología de Comunidades de Desiertos, IADIZA-CONICET. Mendoza, Argentina

Fecha y hora: viernes 8 de marzo de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: hipótesis y leyes con algún nivel de generalidad son esenciales para predecir fenómenos, pero hay ecólogos escépticos con las hipótesis y las leyes generales, en especial las explicativas. Las hipótesis causales planteadas a priori permiten evaluar (y tal vez aumentar) la confiabilidad de los resultados ecológicos (reproducibilidad). ¿Qué resultados ha arrojado la aplicación de este enfoque al estudio de la relación planta – animal? ¿Ha permitido predecir los efectos de las sequías y el pastoreo extensivo sobre la dinámica de plantas, semillas, aves y hormigas granívoras en desiertos sudamericanos (y otros)?

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Human-wildlife interactions: conflict and coexistence

Ponente: Jenny Anne Glikman, IESA, Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (Córdoba)

Fecha y hora: viernes 1 de febrero de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: In general, the relationship between humans and wildlife is described in terms of conflict and coexistence. Humans are an integral part of nature, and wildlife can thrive in a shared environment where conflicts are minimal and/or well managed. Indeed, it should not be forgotten that humans are part of the conflict, but also part of the solution. I will present an array of perspectives of different actors sharing territory with predators such as leopards and bears. Specifically, I will focus on what processes are involved in the interactions between humans and wildlife to move toward favorable conditions for both.

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FEBRERO

Global diversity patterns, host-parasitoid associations and accelerated species discovery of Microgastrinae wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera)

Exploring diversity, ecology and turbo taxonomy of microgastrine parasitoid wasps

Ponente: José Fernández-Triana, Canadian National Collection of Insects (CNC)

Fecha y hora: viernes 16 de febrero de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: With 3,200+ described species but an actual diversity estimated at 40-50,000 species, Microgastrinae parasitoid wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Braconidae), are a hyperdiverse taxa found in all major terrestrial ecosystems, from 82°N to 55°S, and from sea level up to 4,500 m. They attack most of the Lepidoptera order (butterflies and moths) and constitute the most important, abundant and speciose group of parasitoids of caterpillars worldwide. This seminar will discuss the global patterns of Microgastrinae diversity, including comparisons between tropical and temperate areas (with special emphasis in Europe), characteristics of its host-parasitoid associations, and strategies to accelerate species discovery and description, including DNA barcoding and the use of turbo taxonomy approaches.

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Biogeography of Hybrid Zones

Ponente: Pim Arntzen, Naturalis Biodiversity Center & Institute of Biology, Leiden

Fecha y hora: viernes 09 de febrero de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: Hybrid zones exist where the ranges of species meet and produce mixed offspring. In Europe, most hybrid zones result from secondary contact of more or less deeply differentiated forms, following Holocene climate change. While hybrid zones have been a useful vehicle to study gene-flow and selection in speciation research, ecological interactions in hybrid zones have received much less attention. With amphibians as a model group, I will present studies on the comparative ecology of hybridizing species and their biogeographical history as a function of species relatedness and hybridization potential.

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Why would hybrids turn down sex?

Reproductive assurance selection makes asexual species fertile grounds for the rise of asexual lineages.

Ponente: Frédéric Fyon, Royal Holloway University of London

Fecha y hora: viernes 02 de febrero de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: The recurrent rise of asexual lineages keeps being a conundrum for evolutionary biologists. If, as it is now understood, sex is better, then why asexuals keep appearing? One answer may lie within hybrid species, which shows unusually high rates of asexuality among Eukaryotes. What makes hybrids special? Some have argued that when two genomes come together in a hybrid species, intergenomic incompatibilities often lead to reproductive and meiotic alterations – some of which may result in asexuality straight from the F1 generation. However, some data suggests that this may not account for all asexual hybrid species out there – part of the mystery remains unanswered. To tackle that, we built an evolutionary model, and showed that under certain circumstances a hybrid species can progressively evolve the traits associated with asexuality. This evolution is powered by a selective process: it is predicted to happen when normal sexual reproduction of hybrid females is hampered by some abnormalities in the fusion of male and female gametes for example (which may happen in hybrids due to intergenomic incompatibilities). Overall, we propose the first evolutionary route that explains why hybrid species are such a fertile ground for the rise of asexual lineages.

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ENERO

Telomeres, DNA methylation and the study of ageing

Ponente: Simon Verhulst, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences

Fecha y hora: viernes 26 de enero de 12:00 a 13:00

Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN

Abstract: We study molecular mechanisms underlying life history trade-offs in free-living birds. In this presentation I will present our view on the role of telomeres in ageing, our preliminary results on variation in DNA methylation, and ideas on the potential of ecological epigenetics

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