MNCN

Address

Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC)
c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2
28006 Madrid (Spain)

Research interests

I am broadly interested in ecology and animal behaviour in an evolutionary context. My current research uses animal families as model social systems for investigating the role of signals (either manipulative or informative) as an adaptive mechanism for conflict resolution. Other current research themes include: the role of maternal effects in conflict resolution, the evolution of female sexual ornaments and male mate choice, differences between males and females in resource allocation trade-offs.

Selected publications

• Morales J, Torres R, Velando A (2012) Safe betting: males help dull females only when they raise high quality offspring. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 66: 135-143
• Morales J, Kim S-Y, Lobato E, Merino S, Tomás G, Martínez-de la Puente J, Moreno J (2010) On the heritability of blue-green eggshell coloration. J Evol Biol 23: 1783-1791
• Morales J, Velando A, Torres R (2009) Fecundity compromises attractiveness when pigments are scarce. Behav Ecol 20: 117-223.
• Morales J, Alonso-Álvarez C, Pérez C, Torres R, Serafino E, Velando A (2009) Families on the spot: sexual signals influence parent-offspring interactions. Proc R Soc Lond B 276: 2477-2483
• Morales J, Sanz JJ, Moreno J (2006) Egg colour reflects the amount of yolk maternal antibodies and fledging success in a songbird. Biol Lett 2:334-336.

People

Alberto Lucas (PhD student at Vigo University in Velando's group, Spain) Personal webpage
Jorge Manzano (Master student)

Bio

2011 JAE Contract, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Spain
2009 Juan de la Cierva Contract, Universidade de Vigo, Spain
2007 PostDoc, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México
2006 PhD Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
2003 Marie Curie Fellow, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
2001 MSc Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
2000 Exchange student, University of Basel and Swiss Ornithological Institute, Switzerland

Awards

Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Extraordinary Doctorate Award (2006)
SEO/BirdLife Award for Best Doctoral Thesis (2010)