Presentación de Tesis: Behavioral changes, ecological niches and adaptive diversification in pigeons and doves

El investigador del CREAF Oriol Lapiedra nos presenta su tesis doctoral el próximo 30 de septiembre a las 11h. El objetivo de esta tesis es obtener una visión integrada de los mecanismos que han comportado la diversidad biológica actual del grupo de las palomas (orden Columbiformes) mediante la incorporación de un factor clave que ha sido ampliamente ignorado en los estudios evolutivos: el papel del comportamiento de los animales.

 AUTOR:

Oriol Lapiedra

DIRECTOR:

Daniel Sol

DIA, LUGAR Y HORA:

30 de septiembre en Sala de Graus de Biociències, a las 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.