Presentació de Tesi: Behavioral changes, ecological niches and adaptive diversification in pigeons and doves

L’investigador del CREAF Oriol Lapiedra ens presenta la seva tesis doctoral el proper 30 de setembre a les 11h. L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi és obtenir una visió integrada dels mecanismes que han comportat la diversitat biològica actual del grup dels coloms (ordre Columbiformes) mitjançant la incorporació d'un factor clau que ha estat àmpliament ignorat en els estudis evolutius: el paper del comportament dels animals.

 AUTOR:

Oriol Lapiedra

DIRECTOR:

Daniel Sol

DIA, LLOC I HORA:

30 de setembre a l'Aula de Graus de Biociències, a les 11h

ABSTRACT:

The extraordinary diversity in ecology, morphology and behavior of species across the tree of life has long interested researchers. Understanding why and how lineages diversify in phenotype and species numbers remains, however, a major challenge in evolutionary biology because evolutionary diversification is a complex process influenced by a number of factors of diverse nature. This thesis aims to provide an integrated picture of the mechanisms that have led to the current biological diversity of a major vertebrate clade by incorporating a crucial factor that has largely been neglected in evolutionary studies: the role of behavior. During this thesis I have used comparative phylogenetic and experimental approaches to investigate the question that changes in behavior can shape evolution by allowing individuals to modify the way they interact with their environment -their ecological niche-. Such changes can modify the way selective pressures affect populations, thus favoring divergent selection that can promote adaptive diversification.