Presentation
I am a biologist interested in understanding how species proliferate and change over time. My work uses molecular tools and fieldwork approaches to investigate evolutionary and ecological patterns and processes at both the individual and population level.
Much of this work has focused on island birds (using extinct and extant taxa) where I investigate the causes and consequences of adaptive (and non-adaptive) genetic variation in relation to understand the mechanisms driving avian radiations.
In addition, I am also interested to investigate the ecological and evolutionary role of pathogens in island systems because of the high susceptibility of native and endemic birds to introduced pathogens.
However, despite my passion are birds, I acknowledge that invertebrates are really nice models to tackle these questions too. Thus, I am also collaborating with other colleagues at UMIB where continental alpine grasshoppers are the focus of my attention.
I carry out my research mainly focused on the Macaronesian region (Azores, Madeira, Selvagens, Canary Islands and Cape Verde) and nearby continental areas both Iberian Peninsula and north Africa.
However, due to my stonechat dependency I am also expanding my research throughout Europe and Africa as well.
Teaching
Courses
I am involved in different courses related with two undergraduate degrees: Biology and Forestry and Natural Resources.
Forestry and Natural Resources (at Polytechnic School of Mieres)
- Management of Protected Areas (Theory and Practical)
- Management of Threatened Species (Theory and Practical)
- Ecology and Climatology (Theory and Practical)
Biology (at Faculty of Biology, Oviedo)
- Environmental assessment (Practical exercises)
Scientific Activities
Latest news
New paper posted
Gradual dispersal events shape the genetic structure in an alpine flightless grasshopper.
Aug 5th, 2019
New paper posted
Characterization of microsatellite markers for the endangered Daphne rodriguezii (Thymelaeaceae) and related species.
Jul 17th, 2019
New paper posted
Una nueva subespecie endémica de pinzón vulgar (Fringilla coelebs bakeri) para las Islas Canarias.
Jul 5th, 2019