I am an evolutionary ecologist. I see the field of evolutionary ecology as the integrated science of evolution, ecology, genetics, and animal behavior. Overall, my research seeks to understand patterns and mechanisms in the evolution of biological diversity. Specifically, I am interested in how ecological and evolutionary processes lead to (i) genetic and phenotypic variation within and among populations, (ii) adaptation to complex selective environments, and (iii) reproductive isolation and the formation of new species.

 

My approach to these problems is necessarily integrative and relies on a comparative analysis among closely related species or populations. Conceptually and methodologically, my projects are rooted in various disciplines including ecology, evolution, morphology, behavior, molecular genetics, and geochemistry. I attach great importance to combining field-based studies with analytical and experimental approaches in the laboratory. Currently, my main research project focuses on local adaptation and ecological speciation in fish living in extreme environments.

 

 

• Ecological speciation in poeciliids living in extreme environments
• Evolutionary ecology of the Cave molly
• The evolutionary potential of asexual organisms and the stability of gynogenetic complexes
• Phenotypic differentiation and local adaptation along river gradients