Current projects
NextRad project. Implementing cost-effective genomic tools for high resolution species delimitation in recent plant island radiations in Macaronesia (2024-2025)
This project targets the Macaronesian Lotus (ca. 44 recognized species) that has a high number of neoendemic and red-listed species. Our previous analyses have shown that most of the current diversity in Lotus originated during the last 2 Ma. This has posed challenges for species delimitation based on single-locus nuclear markers and/or plant barcoding. Despite the low levels of marker variation found in Lotus, the group has high morphological and ecological diversity, and we still lack reliable estimates of its species richness in Macaronesia. NEXTRAD will evaluate the limits of resolution of the TETTRis multi-locus and a universal target sequencing in species delimitation in this genus. Our approach will combine these genomic tools with morphological, and ecological data to provide robust estimates of species richness. The pipelines obtained will be transferred to local institutions working with the taxonomy. These tools will be further used in conservation strategies.
Role: PI
Funded by the European Union as part of the Transforming European Taxonomy through Training, Research and Innovations (TETTRis project) third party program
This project targets the Macaronesian Lotus (ca. 44 recognized species) that has a high number of neoendemic and red-listed species. Our previous analyses have shown that most of the current diversity in Lotus originated during the last 2 Ma. This has posed challenges for species delimitation based on single-locus nuclear markers and/or plant barcoding. Despite the low levels of marker variation found in Lotus, the group has high morphological and ecological diversity, and we still lack reliable estimates of its species richness in Macaronesia. NEXTRAD will evaluate the limits of resolution of the TETTRis multi-locus and a universal target sequencing in species delimitation in this genus. Our approach will combine these genomic tools with morphological, and ecological data to provide robust estimates of species richness. The pipelines obtained will be transferred to local institutions working with the taxonomy. These tools will be further used in conservation strategies.
Role: PI
Funded by the European Union as part of the Transforming European Taxonomy through Training, Research and Innovations (TETTRis project) third party program
BERLiNiA project. Evolutionary ecology of tropical trees in the Berlinia clade (2023-2026)
This project targets the Berlinia clade (Leguminosae, Detarioideae), an endemic African lineage of tropical trees, with an estimated 16 genera and ca 180 species. The group is distributed in two main habitat types: forest and savanna biomes. Our previous research has found that the ability to shift main habitats within this clade is unevenly distributed and some lineages have remained and diversified in the forest biome over long evolutionary periods. In addition, we have preliminary evidence that some congeneric species tend to share the plastome when in sympatry. In these species we have evidence of cytonuclear discordance where the nuclear genes reflect the taxonomy of the group while the plastome genome reflects the geographical context. Some genera within this group might represent a case of reticulate evolution and potentially behave as a syngameon. The project aims to investigate the evolutionary history of these two main bioclimatic niches, drought tolerance/avoidance traits, and putative syngameons.
Role: Collaborator
Funded by the F.R.S.-FNRS Government, Belgium
This project targets the Berlinia clade (Leguminosae, Detarioideae), an endemic African lineage of tropical trees, with an estimated 16 genera and ca 180 species. The group is distributed in two main habitat types: forest and savanna biomes. Our previous research has found that the ability to shift main habitats within this clade is unevenly distributed and some lineages have remained and diversified in the forest biome over long evolutionary periods. In addition, we have preliminary evidence that some congeneric species tend to share the plastome when in sympatry. In these species we have evidence of cytonuclear discordance where the nuclear genes reflect the taxonomy of the group while the plastome genome reflects the geographical context. Some genera within this group might represent a case of reticulate evolution and potentially behave as a syngameon. The project aims to investigate the evolutionary history of these two main bioclimatic niches, drought tolerance/avoidance traits, and putative syngameons.
Role: Collaborator
Funded by the F.R.S.-FNRS Government, Belgium
Completed projects
ECOTONE. Characterizing changes in biodiversity of below-ground associated fungi and carbon dynamics in the mountain birch forest during attitudinal range shift expansions (2023)
In Norway, the mountain birch forest (MBF) represents one of the forest ecosystems more vulnerable to climate change and which biodiversity has been less studied. An attitudinal upward shift of the MBF tree line has been documented over the last decades in Norway due to alterations of temperature, precipitation patterns, and land use changes. This shift in the MBF distribution has potential negative effects on biodiversity, changes in primary production, and carbon dynamics; however, our current understanding of the upward expansion is focused on the birch tree (Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, the dominant tree species of MBF in Scandinavia), without considering other critical species that strongly influence carbon dynamics (e.g., soil fungal community). So far, we lack a good understanding of how the biodiversity and abundance of the fungal community affects soil nutrient, carbon dynamics, and the capacity of the birch tree to cope with climate change. Currently, we are missing an integrated analyses of the MBF upward expansion, including biodiversity estimates of associated below-ground fungi, tree carbon uptake capacity together with a characterization of soil carbon dynamics. Such approach will provide a better understanding of the effects of climate change on this ecosystem. The overall goal of the project is to determine changes in ecosystem functions of the ecotone in response to climate change by investigating carbon dynamics of the MBF and the associated functional groups of below-ground fungi along their attitudinal expansion.
Role: PI
Funded by the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) FS-pilot
S-GRAN. Genomic selection in Picea abies (2020-2023)
GS-GRAN aims to implement two steps into the breeding program of Picea abies in Norway. One step involves the assessment of using genomic selection (GS) at the operational level during the selection process of the most suitable genotypes for aforestation. The second step involves the assessment of genetic diversity and how this is affected during the different stages of selection (selection of plus-trees and clones) during the management and the selection cycles in the breeding program. This project is a collaboration with Skogføverket, Uppsala University, and University of Oulu.
Role: PI
Funded by the Norwegian Research Council (NRC), Norway.
GS-GRAN aims to implement two steps into the breeding program of Picea abies in Norway. One step involves the assessment of using genomic selection (GS) at the operational level during the selection process of the most suitable genotypes for aforestation. The second step involves the assessment of genetic diversity and how this is affected during the different stages of selection (selection of plus-trees and clones) during the management and the selection cycles in the breeding program. This project is a collaboration with Skogføverket, Uppsala University, and University of Oulu.
Role: PI
Funded by the Norwegian Research Council (NRC), Norway.
NEXTPOL. The transcriptomics of pollination-mediated floral traits: a genetic developmental study (2019-2021)
NEXTPOL uses a group three species of Malvaceae with contrasting pollination syndromes and a shared phylogenetic history to understand in more detail the evolution of several morphological traits involved in plant-pollination interactions. One species (Navaea phoenicea) is bird-pollinated and endemic to the Macaronesia region, while the other two are entomophilous and distributed only in Macaronesia (Lavatera acerifolia) and in Europe (Lavatera maritima). The project combines detailed morphological analyses during flower development (evo-devo) combined with RNA-seq analyses and comparative genomics to further our understanding of the evolution of several floral traits associated with attraction, interaction and reward.
Role: Co-PI
Funded by the Ministerio de Ciencias y Inovacion y Universidades, Spain.
