Research
Overview Our research focuses on fundamental questions in ecology, island biology, biogeography, molecular biology, and evolutionary biology. We primarily use genomic data, such as reference genomes and population/species-level sampling, which we integrate with environmental and phenotypic data.
Research Questions Our work explores key themes such as speciation, adaptation, molecular evolution, and island biology. Some of the questions we investigate include: How do genomes evolve? How do species adapt to new ecological niches? How does adaptation to these niches influence genome evolution? What drives diversifications and/or adaptive radiations? What is the biogeography of specific lineages?
Study Systems We mainly focus on insular systems. Currently, our lab is researching the Galápagos Scalesia radiation, Galápagos Darwiniothamnus and Lecocarpus, the Cabo Verdean endemic sparrow (Passer iagoensis), and various lineages from the Malay Archipelago.
Publications While we do not keep a curated collection of publications exclusive to the laboratory, you can check out the scholar profile of the group coordinator, José Cerca
All
2024
Darwin’s overlooked radiation: genomic evidence points to the early stages of a radiation in the Galápagos prickly pear cactus (Opuntia, Cactaceae)
Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society
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02 Sep 2024
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doi:10.1093/evolinnean/kzae021
Reference genome bias in light of species-specific chromosomal reorganization and translocations
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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28 Jun 2024
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doi:10.1101/2024.06.28.599671
Fruit wings accelerate germination in Anacyclus clavatus
American Journal of Botany
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01 Jan 2024
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doi:10.1002/ajb2.16272
Consistent accumulation of transposable elements in species of the Hawaiian Tetragnatha spiny-leg adaptive radiation across the archipelago chronosequence
Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society
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01 Jan 2024
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doi:10.1093/evolinnean/kzae005
2023
Darwin’s Overlooked Radiation: genomic evidence points to the early stages of a radiation in the Galápagos prickly pear cactus (Opuntia,Cactaceae)
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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05 Oct 2023
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doi:10.1101/2023.10.03.560736
Anthropogenic Change and the Process of Speciation
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
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03 Oct 2023
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doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a041455
Understanding natural selection and similarity: Convergent, parallel and repeated evolution
Molecular Ecology
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19 Sep 2023
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doi:10.1111/mec.17132
Multiple paths toward repeated phenotypic evolution in the spiny‐leg adaptive radiation (Tetragnatha; Hawai'i)
Molecular Ecology
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29 Jul 2023
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doi:10.1111/mec.17082
2022
Multiple paths towards repeated phenotypic evolution in the spiny-leg adaptive radiation (Tetragnatha; Hawaii)
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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02 Dec 2022
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doi:10.1101/2022.11.29.518358
The genomic basis of the plant island syndrome in Darwin’s giant daisies
Nature Communications
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28 Jun 2022
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doi:10.1038/s41467-022-31280-w
A simple conceptual framework and nomenclature for studying repeated, parallel and convergent evolution
California Digital Library (CDL)
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28 Jun 2022
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doi:10.32942/OSF.IO/G8U39
High genomic diversity in the endangered East Greenland Svalbard Barents Sea stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus)
Scientific Reports
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12 Apr 2022
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doi:10.1038/s41598-022-09868-5
The genomic basis of the plant island syndrome in Darwin’s giant daisies
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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28 Jan 2022
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doi:10.1101/2022.01.26.477903
2021
A review of the worldwide distribution of Marenzelleria viridis, with new records for M. viridis, M. neglecta and Marenzelleria sp. (Annelida: Spionidae)
Zootaxa
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13 Dec 2021
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doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5081.3.3
The Tetragnatha kauaiensis Genome Sheds Light on the Origins of Genomic Novelty in Spiders
Genome Biology and Evolution
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26 Nov 2021
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doi:10.1093/gbe/evab262
Pervasive admixture and the spread of a large‐lipped form in a cichlid fish radiation
Molecular Ecology
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16 Sep 2021
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doi:10.1111/mec.16139
Removing the bad apples: A simple bioinformatic method to improve loci‐recovery in de novo RADseq data for non‐model organisms
Methods in Ecology and Evolution
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21 Feb 2021
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doi:10.1111/2041-210X.13562
Incomplete lineage sorting and ancient admixture, and speciation without morphological change in ghost-worm cryptic species.
PeerJ
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09 Feb 2021
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pmid:33614296
2020
Removing the bad apples: a simple bioinformatic method to improve loci-recovery in de novo RADseq data for non-model organisms
California Digital Library (CDL)
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28 Aug 2020
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doi:10.32942/OSF.IO/47TKA
2019
Deceleration of morphological evolution in a cryptic species complex and its link to paleontological stasis
Evolution
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26 Nov 2019
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doi:10.1111/evo.13884
Delimitation of cryptic species drastically reduces the geographical ranges of marine interstitial ghost-worms (Stygocapitella; Annelida, Sedentaria).
Molecular phylogenetics and evolution
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25 Oct 2019
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pmid:31669400
Fitness benefits and costs of floral advertising traits: insights from rayed and rayless phenotypes ofAnacyclus(Asteraceae)
American Journal of Botany
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01 Feb 2019
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doi:10.1002/ajb2.1238
2018
Marine connectivity dynamics: clarifying cosmopolitan distributions of marine interstitial invertebrates and the meiofauna paradox
Marine Biology
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10 Jul 2018
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doi:10.1007/s00227-018-3383-2
Finding Evolutionary Processes Hidden in Cryptic Species
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
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01 Mar 2018
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doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.11.007
2014
The effects of achene type and germination time on plant performance in the heterocarpic Anacyclus clavatus (Asteraceae)
American Journal of Botany
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01 May 2014
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doi:10.3732/ajb.1400030
2013
Genome size variation and polyploidy incidence in the alpine flora from Spain
Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid
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30 Jun 2013
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doi:10.3989/ajbm.2350
1970
Evolutionary genomics of oceanic island radiations
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
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01 Jan 1970
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doi:10.1016/j.tree.2023.02.003
Our review of adaptive radiations across oceanic archipelagos!