Plant-pollinator interactions and adaptation

My interest on this area lies in the characterization of the morphological diversity associated to pollinators shifts and linking this diversity to its genetic basis. My research has been focused on pollinator shifts (bee to bird pollination) on islands, and shifts in habitat shifts (savanna vs forest) on tropical African trees. My main objectives are: 1) to identify key morphological traits involved on these shifts, 2) to generate new genomic resources for these species with contrasting adaptations, and 3) to determine the genetic basis of these adaptive shifts.
My long term goal in this area is to identify the gene regions and assess their use as markers of genetic diversity and adaptability in endangered species (endemic species and species specialized to specific pollinators) or highly specialized to specific habitats. Given that these gene regions are involved in adaptation, they might be suitable candidates to predict adaptability in species with specialized niches under future climate change.