RESEARCH
MAIN INTERESTS
Evolutionary ecology, population genetics, phylogeny and phylogeography of marine species
i) Use evolutionary genetics to understand how biological diversity is generated and infer the ecological and environmental forces that have contributed to the genetic structure of populations.
ii) Employ genetic and evolutionary applications to problems of conservation, maintenance of genetic variability, description of biodiversity and the recognition of evolutionary entities for preservation.
iii) elucidate patterns of genetic connectivity in marine organisms, with special focus for insular species.
Biodiversity and marine ecology
i) Understand the effects of climate change and/or anthropogenic activities on species interactions/distributions.
ii) Follow the impact of invasive species in insular ecosystems.
Ocean acidification (OA)
i) Improve our understanding of the biological impacts of OA
ii) Predict how OA impacts will cascade throughout the marine food web and affect the overall structure of marine ecosystems
ii) Understand why some species survive and others do not
iv) Work on solutions aimed at increasing ecosystem resilience to OA
PROJECTS
MIMAR+ - Seguimento, control y mitigación de cambios en los ecosistemas marinos de la Macaronesia. Co-financed by the Interreg Madeira-Acores-Canarias (MAC) Territorial Cooperation Program 2014-2020. (MAC2/4.6d/249) (2020‐2022).
3Bvent - Biodiversity, Biological interactions and Biotechnological products of coastal hydrothermal vents in Azores. Funded by Programa Operacional Açores 2020 (DRCT: ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000112) (2019‐2021).
ASPAZOR ‐ Ecosystem impacts and socioeconomic benefits of Asparagopsis armata in the Azores. Funded by Programa Operacional Açores 2020 (DRCT: ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-00060). (2016‐2019).
PatelGene ‐ Genetic Structure of Azorean Limpets: Implications for Conservation and Marine Protected Areas (PTDC/BIA‐BIC/115837/2009). Funded by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology). (2011‐2013).