Seminarios 2025
· Seminarios de investigación organizados por el MNCN en colaboración con la Sociedad de Amigos del Museo (SAM) durante 2025 ·
TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR ASSESSING CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Ponente: Felipe Vieira, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil
Fecha y hora: viernes 12 de diciembre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Cultural ecosystem services are the non-material benefits that nature gives to humanity and reflect important aspects of people’s lives such as recreational and educational opportunities, aesthetic appreciation and sense of place. Though their accountability is critical for creating the social support needed in conservation science and practice, they tend to be particularly challenging to identify, measure and implement. In this workshop, we will explore the advantages, disadvantages and complementarities between traditional and innovative methods to assess cultural services.
COMMUNICATING IN A NOISY AND CHANGING SEA
Ponente: Francis Juanes, Liber Ero Professor of Fisheries, Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Canada
Fecha y hora: jueves 4 de diciembre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Sound is a fundamental component of the sensory environment of many aquatic animals. The underwater soundscape, the spatial, temporal and frequency attributes of ambient sound and the sources contributing to the sound field, is composed of three elements: the geophony, or sounds from physical processes; the biophony, or sounds from biological sources, and the anthrophony, or sounds produced by human activity. The biophony is the most pervasive and variable, but least well-understood component of the soundscape. Many animals produce sound, either as forms of communication, or as byproducts of other behaviours. The biophony can help us to monitor, count, and quantify behaviours of soniferous species in an ecosystem in a non-destructive and non-visual manner. As the world has got noisier, the range and intensity of underwater anthropogenic noise continues to increase and can lead to physiological and behavioural changes. Noise pollution can also mask environmental cues, vocalizations, or dampen the ability to hear conspecifics, prey or predators. Here, I will review the geographic and taxonomic distribution of fish sounds globally and then examine, using various case studies, how noise transforms marine ecosystems and its ecological consequences. I will conclude with applications of acoustic monitoring for management, and the possibility of mitigating the impacts of noise pollution through habitat conservation leading to the development of underwater noise regulation.
CENOZOIC GLOBAL CLIMATE AND ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET HISTORY: A BRIEF JOURNEY
Ponente: Adrián López Quiros, Assistant Professor, Department of Stratigraphy and Paleontology, Faculty of Science, Universidad de Granada
Fecha y hora: viernes 28 de noviembre de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Understanding the Cenozoic evolution of the Southern Ocean is key to deciphering the complex interplay between tectonics, ocean circulation, and global climate. This region has played a pivotal role in Earth's climate history, both driving and recording major environmental transitions from greenhouse to icehouse conditions, thereby providing critical insights into the dynamics of long-term climate change.
In this seminar, I will take the audience on a journey through the Cenozoic history of the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic Ice Sheet—a period marked by pronounced climate shifts and the stepwise expansion of continental-scale glaciation. Starting with the intense warmth of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum, I will explore the progressive cooling that led to major glacial events such as the Eocene–Oligocene transition and the Mi-1 glaciation, as well as warmer intervals like the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum and the early Pliocene. Drawing on sedimentary records and results from oceanographic expeditions, I will highlight how recent scientific advances—including my own contributions as an early-career researcher—are reshaping our understanding of Antarctic climate evolution. I will also share the insights I gained from participating in recent oceanographic expeditions and discuss why they are important for filling critical gaps in the paleoclimate record.
CIENCIA A PROPÓSITO: ESTRATEGIAS PRÁCTICAS PARA INCIDIR EN LAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS
Ponente: Celia Martín Puertas
Fecha y hora: viernes 21 de noviembre de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
EVOLUTION OF BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR IN HELICONIUS BUTTERFLIES
Debido a una incidencia técnica no se cortó la retransmisión
Ponente: Amaia Alcalde Antón, University of Bristol
Fecha y hora: jueves 6 de noviembre de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Among butterflies, Heliconius have a unique behavioural profile, being the only genus to actively feed on pollen. Heliconius learn the location of pollen resources, and have enhanced visual memory and expanded mushroom bodies, an insect learning and memory brain centre, compared to related genera. Differences in brain size among species are frequently associated with differences in the number of neurons produced and therefore with neurogenesis. Given that changes in neurogenesis can influence the structure and morphology of the nervous system, we expect that the expansion of the mushroom bodies in Heliconius results from alterations in this process.
The goal of this research is to investigate the mushroom body expansion with a comparative approach, using Heliconiini butterflies. Differences in mushroom body development between Heliconius and closely related species are present since early larval stages and become more pronounced during pupation. These findings suggest that variations in the progenitor cells of the mushroom body may underlie its expansion.
BIODIVERSITY IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD: CAN THE INTERNET FILL BIODIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE GAPS?
Ponente: Richard J. Ladle, Titular Professor of Conservation Biogeography, ICBS, Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil
Fecha y hora: viernes 31 de octubre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: In the presentation “Biodiversity in the Virtual World: Can the Internet Fill Biodiversity Knowledge Gaps?”, Richard Ladle (Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil) explores how digital data can help address two central challenges in modern conservation: the pervasive ignorance about global biodiversity and the chronic shortage of resources. Traditional field-based methods are costly and limited, yet online activity may offer a powerful alternative. If the internet mirrors real-world interactions, then digital traces—searches, images, and posts—can reveal both ecological patterns and human–nature relationships.Two emerging fields exemplify this potential. Conservation culturomics uses digital content to measure public interest in nature through indicators such as salience, engagement, and sentiment. This enables researchers to map cultural hotspots of biodiversity interest and track temporal changes, such as the rise in attention to urban wildlife during COVID-19 lockdowns. iEcology, meanwhile, extracts ecological data from “accidental” digital by-products, from YouTube videos documenting animal behavior to Wikipedia patterns reflecting species seasonality. Despite biases, noise, and data access constraints—the “fairground mirror” effect—the digital world offers unprecedented insight into biodiversity and its cultural dimensions. Looking ahead, expanding internet coverage, automation, and AI-based analysis could underpin a global digital observatory, integrating online signals into biodiversity monitoring and conservation policy.
GENOMIC DIVERGENCE IN BIRDS OF EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
Ponente: Lucila Belén Morales, Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile
Fecha y hora: viernes 24 de octubre de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Resumen: Mediante el estudio de la evolución genómica en aves marinas de la familia Stercorariidae (skuas y jaegers), mi investigación doctoral profundiza en cómo los procesos de adaptación, hibridación e introgresión han moldeado la historia evolutiva de estas especies que habitan regiones polares y subpolares. A partir de datos de secuenciación de genomas completos, se busca dilucidar la arquitectura genética de la divergencia reciente entre especies, identificar variantes estructurales, localizar regiones genómicas bajo selección y detectar huellas de introgresión, con el fin de comprender los mecanismos que han modelado la diversidad y la adaptación en este linaje.
Un eje central de mi trabajo es la generación y el análisis de un ensamblaje de novo de alta calidad para Stercorarius chilensis, mediante tecnologías de secuenciación PacBio HiFi y Hi-C. Este ensamblaje constituye el primer genoma de referencia a nivel cromosómico para el grupo, lo que permitirá establecer las bases para comparaciones genómicas detalladas entre especies.
Además, mi investigación integra la variación genética adaptativa de las poblaciones en modelos de nicho ecológico, con el objetivo de generar modelos específicos para cada población genéticamente diferenciada. Estos modelos serán proyectados a paleoclimas, lo que permitirá comprender cómo skuas y jaegers respondieron a cambios climáticos pasados, así como predecir sus posibles respuestas ante futuros escenarios climáticos.
En resumen, mi trabajo de investigación doctoral ofrece una visión integral sobre la evolución adaptativa y la dinámica histórica de las especies de Stercorariidae, mediante el uso complementario de herramientas genómicas y ecológicas. Los resultados aportarán información clave para comprender los procesos de especiación, adaptación e hibridación en aves marinas, con implicancias relevantes para su conservación y para el estudio de la evolución en ambientes polares.
BETWEEN LEGACY AND FLEXIBILITY: DRIVERS OF MUTUALISTIC NETWORK PATTERNS IN A CHANGING WORLD
Ponente: Lisieux Fuzessy
Fecha y hora: viernes 10 de octubre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: and functionality of tropical ecosystems. Yet, understanding how these interactions are structured and how they reorganize under environmental change remains a central challenge. In my research, I address this question from two complementary perspectives. First, by disentangling the relative roles of evolutionary legacy and present-day ecological traits, I show that functional and ecological filters—such as dietary specialization, network connectivity, and fruit characteristics—are stronger drivers of frugivory networks than shared evolutionary history. While a weak but significant cophylogenetic signal is detectable, contemporary ecological processes emerge as dominant forces shaping interaction patterns and modular structure. Second, I explore the concept of rewiring—the ability of species to reorganize their interactions in response to spatiotemporal variation in partner availability. Often regarded as a flexible response determined by abundances and morphological matching, rewiring is in fact mediated by a broader set of mechanisms, including trait variation, fruit chemistry, competition, and the role of rare interactions. Integrating these perspectives reveals that the structure and dynamics of mutualistic networks are neither fixed by evolutionary constraints nor fully plastic, but shaped by the interplay between ecological filtering, evolutionary legacies, and the potential for interaction reorganization. This framework offers a deeper understanding of how mutualisms respond to environmental change and highlights the importance of conserving not only species, but also the interactions that sustain ecosystem resilience.
ECHINODERMS IN A CHANGING OCEAN: STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL
Ponente: Rocío Pérez-Portela
Fecha y hora: viernes 3 de octubre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Echinoderms exposed to shifting environmental conditions possess biological mechanisms that allow them to persist. These include intraspecific processes acting at different evolutionary and temporal scales: local genomic adaptations shaped by selective pressures over generations, and phenotypic plasticity expressed as individuals adjust to genotype–environment interactions during their lifetimes. The relationship between echinoderms and their symbiotic microbiota may further influence their adaptive capacity.
Our group has adopted a multidisciplinary approach to examine the adaptive potential of key echinoderm species under ocean warming and acidification, combining observations along natural temperature and pH gradients with controlled laboratory experiments. We find diverse stress responses and adaptive strategies—ranging from local genomic differentiation and shifts in gene expression to metabolic adjustments—that vary between species. However, these intra- and interspecific mechanisms do not always align. Differences in evolutionary history and thermal tolerance may underpin the contrasting resilience of echinoderms, offering crucial insights into their survival prospects under future oceanographic change.
HALÓGENOS POLARES: IMPLICACIONES ATMOSFÉRICA Y CLIMÁTICAS
Ponente: Alfonso Sáiz López, Instituto de Química Física Blas Cabrera, CSIC
Fecha y hora: viernes 26 de septiembre de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Resumen: Los halógenos polares son compuestos orgánicos e inorgánicos que contienen cloro, bromo y yodo. Estos compuestos son emitidos a la atmósfera desde el hielo polar. Una vez en la atmósfera, intervienen en numerosos procesos químicos que alteran la concentración de gases y partículas denominados forzadores climáticos de vida corta como el metano, ozono troposférico y aerosoles. En esta comunicación, se abordará el conocimiento actual de estos procesos químicos y su influencia en la composición de la atmósfera polar.
Ponente: Cecilia Siliansky de Andreazzi
Fecha y hora: viernes 19 de septiembre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Ecological communities are organized into networks of interacting species that both shape and are shaped by ecological and evolutionary processes. Understanding parasite spillover and disease emergence requires integrating eco-evolutionary feedbacks that connect landscape change, community dynamics, and trait evolution. In this talk, I will show how coevolution structures parasite–host networks and how deforestation and environmental degradation disrupt them, with major implications for biodiversity and disease risk.
MACHINE LEARNING IN BIOLOGY: FROM IMAGE ANALYSIS TO MOLECULAR SEQUENCE ANALYSIS
Ponente: Christoph Mayer, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change And Museum Koenig Bonn, Germany
Fecha y hora: viernes 12 de septiembre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Machine learning is revolutionising the analysis of biological datasets. I will give an overview and talk about recent this recent trend with examples from my current work.
TOWARD A HISTORY OF MULTISPECIES CULTURAL LANDSCAPES (no streaming)
Ponente: Diego Carvalho
Fecha y hora: martes 9 de septiembre de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
MARINE FORESTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
Ponente: Jorge Assis, Biodiversity Data Science Research Group at the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Portugal
Fecha y hora: miércoles 25 de junio de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Marine forests, encompassing macroalgae, seagrasses, and mangroves, are critical ecosystems that support biodiversity and sustain essential ecological processes. As climate change intensifies, understanding the macroecological patterns and drivers of marine forest biodiversity has become a pressing priority. This talk provides a holistic perspective on biodiversity in marine forests, spanning genes to ecosystems, and draws on a collection of studies from the Biodiversity Data Science Research Group (Centre of Marine Sciences, Portugal). Employing advanced data-science approaches – including machine-learning, spatially explicit AI models, and macroecological theory – the research group analyzes how genetic, species, and community diversity of marine forests vary across environmental gradients and biogeographic regions. The approach highlights the roles of past, ongoing, and projected climate change, as well as the influence of ocean currents that create stepping-stone pathways critical for genetic flow, species persistence, and community stability. The overall findings provide new insights into the resilience and adaptive capacity of marine forests, essential for informing biodiversity conservation and guiding the design of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that effectively safeguard the ecological integrity of marine forests.
CHANGES IN THE COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS OF THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND THEIR EFFECTS ON LOCAL BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
Ponente: Juan Höfer, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso (PUCV), Chile
Fecha y hora: viernes 20 de junio de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Los ecosistemas costeros de la península antártica son unos de los ecosistemas que más intensamente están experimentando los efectos del cambio climático. Esto se ve reflejado en olas de calor marinas y atmosféricas, glaciares en retroceso, presencia de ríos atmosféricos y precipitaciones en forma de lluvia. Todo esto está afectando el funcionamiento de los ecosistemas costeros por cambios en la estructura de la columna de agua y un mayor ingreso de agua dulce con el derretimiento de los glaciares. Estos cambios afectan la disponibilidad de metales traza en las zonas costeras, las dinámicas del plancton y también los intercambios atmosfera-oceano. Por ello es clave entender estos cambios para poder predecir mejor el papel que estos ecosistemas tendrán en el futuro sistema climático de la Tierra.
THE EVOLUTIONARY STORY OF A GREAT SPECIATOR: THE SILVEREYE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Ponente: Sonya Clegg
Fecha y hora: viernes 13 de junio de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Evolution on islands has fascinated generations of biologists. While weird and wonderful organisms are known from islands, repeated evolution is also a feature of island biota. The island syndrome refers to the phenomenon where suites of characteristics evolve in predictable ways after an organism colonises an island. How evolution produces these repeated patterns when islands themselves vary in numerous ways is not yet well understood. Furthermore, repeated evolution on islands stems from dispersal and colonisation opportunities, yet speciation usually requires some phase of isolation. How then can species that are excellent overwater dispersers diverge and speciate, and how do repeated phenotypic patterns emerge across different islands? My research examines these questions using a bird species, the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) of Australia and the southwest Pacific. This species is a prolific island coloniser, providing the opportunity to examine repeated evolution over time, and understand how dispersal shapes the evolutionary trajectory of island birds.
NATURAL SELECTION, ADAPTATION AND MALADAPTATION IN URBAN GREAT TITS
Ponente: Anne Charmantier, CNRS researcher at Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France
Fecha y hora: viernes 6 de junio de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: For many decades, evolutionary ecology thrived through experimental approaches in the laboratory or via long-term studies conducted in pristine environments, where the goal was to study natural selection uninfluenced by the strong anthropogenic forces impacting ecosystems. In particular, cities were largely excluded as their biodiversity was considered altered relative to natural habitats and heavily influenced by the complex mix of novel and constraining urban conditions. Over the past decade, however, it has become increasingly clear that we must better understand urban biodiversity—not only to protect it, but also because urban environments provide compelling opportunities to study rapid adaptation. Anne Charmantier will present recent findings from a project on great tits (Parus major) in urban settings, illustrating the potential of urban environments to reveal patterns of local adaptation.
ENTRADA E IMPACTO DEL VIRUS DE LA GRIPE AVIAR DE ALTA PATOGENICIDAD EN LA ANTÁRTIDA
Ponente: Antonio Alcamí, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CBM-CSIC, Madrid
Fecha y hora: viernes 30 de mayo de 13:00 a 14:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
SIX DECADES OF GLOBAL LAND USE CHANGE - WHAT DATA TELLS US ABOUT DYNAMICS, DRIVERS AND IMPACTS
Ponente: Karina Winkler, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)/ Meteorology and Climate Research Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMKIFU)
Fecha y hora: jueves 22 de mayo de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: While land use change has shaped our planet for many centuries, knowledge on past land use transitions and their spatiotemporal dynamics remains fragmented. Using a large-scale data harmonisation approach, we shed light on the diverse patterns of global land use change. The presentation will highlight the main land use trends, discuss their drivers and interconnections, and potential environmental impacts. Different types of land use data allow us to learn from the past in order to shape the future - often we just need to bring them together!
FROM GENES TO ECOSYSTEMS: EXPLORING HOST–VECTOR–PATHOGEN INTERACTIONS ACROSS SCALES
Ponente: Maria Jose Ruiz, investigadora postdoctoral, departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Estación Biológica de Doñana
Fecha y hora: viernes 9 de mayo de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Understanding vector-borne diseases like avian malaria and West Nile virus requires a cross-scale approach, from genes to ecosystems. In this talk, I explore how ecological factors like habitat fragmentation and climate change interact with host, vector, and pathogen biology. Through three case studies, I examine disease patterns in fragmented tropical landscapes, mosquito transcriptional responses to avian Plasmodium, and multi-omic insights into West Nile virus spread, evolution, and temperature-driven dynamics. By combining genomics, transcriptomics, and landscape ecology, we can better understand the complex forces shaping disease emergence in a rapidly changing world.
THE ROLE OF MUSEUMS IN THE URBANOCENE
Ponente: Eduardo Santana, director del Museo de Ciencias Ambientales de la Universidad de Guadalajara, México
Fecha y hora: viernes 11 de abril de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN (presencial)
Abstract: El dilema comunicativo de los que trabajamos en museos sobre temas ambientales es que si nos limitamos a informar verazmente sobre las negativas e irreversibles tendencias del cambio global, bien pudiéramos colocar en el frontispicio del museo las palabras de Dante en las puertas del infierno: Abandonad toda esperanza los que entráis aquí. La información científica no deja lugar a dudas: la aceleración antropocénica tecnológica y urbanística global, con la concomitante degradación ambiental y el sufrimiento que causan, obligan a repensar la relación sociedad-naturaleza, incluyendo la definición misma de la palabra naturaleza. ¿Deben los “indicadores clave de desempeño museísticos” (KPIs) continuar siendo tasas de visitas físicas o digitales y publicaciones? ¿O debieran medirse en metros cúbicos por segundo, kilovatios por hora, hectáreas, poblaciones mínimas viables, deserción escolar y nuevas legislaciones? Presentamos algunas consideraciones experiencias de educación y transformación socio-ecológica que implementa el Museo de Ciencias Ambientales de la Universidad de Guadalajara, aún en formación, que pudieran ser útiles para aumentar la efectividad de los museos en mejorar el bienestar social.
RETHINKING FOREST PRODUCTION IN THE ATLANTIC FOREST: RESTORATION AND LAND-SHARING STRATEGIES
Ponente: Corina Graciano, INFIVE (CONICET-UNLP), Argentina, Becaria de la Fundación Carolina en el MNCN
Fecha y hora: viernes 28 de marzo de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: The Atlantic Forest in South America has been drastically reduced by monocultures and exotic tree plantations. To restore this landscape, actions are needed both in rainforest remnants and deforested areas to enhance connectivity between forest patches. Biodiversity of native species can increase with well-managed exotic tree plantations. However, we propose promoting native tree species for timber and non-timber products in planted mixed stands that mimic rainforest structure. These complex plantations enable land-sharing, allowing production while conserving native biodiversity.
OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE EXTREMES: HOW STUDYING REMOTE AREAS AND EXTREME EVENTS CAN HELP SOCIETY ADAPT
Ponente: Camila Fernández, CNRS- Directora centro COPAS COASTAL. Universidad de Concepción, Chile
Fecha y hora: viernes 21 de marzo de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Marine science in extreme environments faces unprecedented challenges. In this seminar, I will highlight the latest advancements in observation programs within the fjord ecosystems of Chilean Patagonia and the upwelling system off central Chile. My focus will be on microbial and biogeochemical responses to climate change. I will also present a complete process, from data acquisition in remote areas to its translation into social knowledge.
RETHINKING RESILIENCE: CAN WE MAKE THE CONCEPT USEFUL FOR ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION?
Ponente: Pol Capdevila Lanzaco, Profesor Lector, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona
Fecha y hora: viernes 14 de marzo de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: The current biodiversity crisis underscores the need to understand the capacity of natural systems to withstand the ongoing global change. As such, resilience—the ability of a system to persist after, and recover from, a disturbance—has become a crucial concept in ecology and conservation. We know that ecosystems have the ability to avoid collapse by being resilient, but this capacity has a limit, a tipping point that, when surpassed, might lead to irreversible collapse. Quantifying the resilience of natural systems is therefore crucial to developing effective management plans. For instance, several international conservation targets have been set to maintain the resilience of natural systems to ongoing global change. However, ecological research has been hampered by a lack of coherent ways to define and quantify resilience comparatively. As a result, resilience has often remained a theoretical concept, with no clear means to be used by empiricists and managers. If ecology is to support an inform policy making, we must rectify this. To address these knowledge gaps, this talk will be divided into three acts. In the first, I will discuss what we have lost—examining whether and how biodiversity is changing. The second act will focus on resilience itself: how ecologists define, quantify, and compare resilience across different study systems, including examples from my own research at the population and community levels. Finally, the third act will explore future directions in resilience research, outlining general guidelines to harmonise resilience studies and strengthen their application in conservation and management.
(Fotografía cedida por Fundación BBVA)
FISHING FOR PHYLOGENIES: CHALLENGES OF RESOLVING FRESHWATER FISH RADIATIONS
Ponente: Fernando Alda, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM)
Fecha y hora: viernes 14 de febrero de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Phylogenomics provides unprecedented opportunities to resolve the evolutionary histories of both rapid and ancient radiations, yet it faces significant challenges in disentangling genuine phylogenetic signal from pervasive noise. In this talk, I will examine the promises and pitfalls of leveraging phylogenomic and population genomic methods to model the mechanisms of speciation and diversification in fish radiations, focusing on Neotropical and African systems.
Using neotropical electric fishes (Gymnotiformes) as a case study, I will show how strategic data filtering can markedly improve the resolution of deep phylogenetic nodes and reduce gene tree incongruence. These findings underscore the promise of customized data interrogation techniques in resolving complex radiations—even when confronted with incomplete lineage sampling and extensive homoplasy.
I will also present a comparative evaluation of molecular markers in neotropical cichlids (Heroini). By contrasting ultraconserved elements (UCEs) with exon-based datasets, I will illustrate how intrinsic differences in evolutionary rates and selection pressures influence the signal-to-noise ratio, resulting in systematic discrepancies in inferred phylogenies. This analysis highlights the critical importance of marker selection and the need for ongoing methodological refinement in phylogenomics.
Finally, I will extend the discussion to African riverine cichlids (Lamprologus), demonstrating how the integration of phylogenomic and population genomic data can yield valuable insights into evolutionary processes operating across multiple time scales.
Collectively, these examples advocate for a paradigm shift—from traditional “genealogy interrogation” methods to a more flexible “data interrogation” framework that maximizes phylogenetic signal while minimizing biases and systematic errors. In sum, this work addresses a fundamental challenge in phylogenomic analysis—discriminating genuine evolutionary signal from noise—and, by advancing our understanding of fish radiations, it offers a versatile framework for tackling the broader complexities inherent in the study of diverse evolutionary systems.
THERMAL TOLERANCE IN A WARMING WORLD
Ponente: Enrico Rezende, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Fecha y hora: viernes 31 de enero de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Ecosystems are under increasing stress due to global warming, rising average temperatures, and more frequent thermal extremes. Predictive models are urgently needed to anticipate which organisms, communities, and ecosystems may be most vulnerable. While many heuristic approaches are currently in use, few mechanistic models predict vulnerability based on physiological knowledge. My seminar will focus on how termal-tolerance landscapes (describing the probability of survival as influenced by temperature and exposure time in laboratory settings) can be used to predict heat-induced mortality in the field. This approach allows for predictions about the impact of variable thermal regimes without relying on arbitrary temperature indices. Originally developed for animals, thermal landscapes are now being applied to other lineages, including plants. I will discuss the implications of these findings and explore ways to integrate this approach with other stressors, microclimatic data, and ecological interactions to more accurately predict future scenarios.
WHAT SHAPES OUR RIVERS? UNDERSTANDING WATER FLOW AND CHEMISTRY ACROSS ECOREGIONS
Ponente: José L. J. Ledesma, Department of Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences-Spanish National Research Council (MNCN-CSIC)
Fecha y hora: viernes 24 de enero de 12:00 a 13:00
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Abstract: Headwaters form an immense global network that regulates the quantity and quality of water in streams, rivers, and downstream aquatic ecosystems. Riparian zones—soils adjacent to headwater streams—play a pivotal role in determining stream chemistry, as precipitation water often traverses these areas before entering the aquatic compartment. This seminar explores the crucial role of headwater catchments and riparian zones in shaping water flow and chemistry across diverse ecoregions, ranging from boreal to Mediterranean landscapes. Particular attention will be given to carbon cycling, with additional insights into the dynamics of other elements including nitrogen. The presentation will also incorporate modelling approaches to enhance understanding of how climate change and other anthropogenic pressures impact water quantity and quality in fluvial networks, both now and in the future.
· Seminarios de investigación organizados por otras entidades celebrados en el museo durante el año 2025 ·
MOLUSCOS DE LA DIRECTIVA DE HÁBITATS EN ESPAÑA
Ponentes: Carmen Salas (Sociedad Española de Malacología), Rafael Zardoya (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC), Ramón Martínez (TRAGSATEC), Jaime Castañer (Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico, DGBBD, SGBTM), Benjamín Gómez (Universidad del País Vasco-UPV/EHU), Alberto Martínez-Ortí (Museu Valencià d’Història Natural), Javier Iglesias (Universidade Santiago de Compostela), Teresa Rodríguez (Universidade Santiago de Compostela), Paz Ondina (Universidade Santiago de Compostela), Keiko Nakamura (SARGA, Gobierno de Aragón), Joaquim Reis (Universidade de Lisboa), Javier Morales (Ecohydros), Miquel Campos (Consorci de l’Estany), José Templado (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC), José Rafael García-March (Universidad Católica de Valencia), Ramón M. Álvarez (Sociedad Española de Malacología), Ángel Luque (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, CIBC-UAM).
Fecha y hora: martes 13 de mayo de 9:30 a 14:45
Lugar: salón de actos del MNCN
Resumen: La Directiva 92/43/CEE del Consejo, de 21 de mayo de 1992, relativa a la conservación de los hábitats naturales y de la fauna y flora silvestres, incluye varias especies de moluscos en España: Elona quimperiana, Geomalacus maculosus y Unio crassus, en España Unio tumidiformis (Anexos II y IV); Margaritifera margaritifera (Anexos II y V); Vertigo angustior y Vertigo moulinsiana (Anexo II); Patella ferruginea, Pinna nobilis, Lithophaga lithophaga y Margaritifera auricularia (= Pseudunio auricularius) (Anexo IV); y Unio elongatulus, en España Unio mancus y Unio ravoisieri (Anexo V).
La Directiva de Hábitats tiene como objetivo la protección de los tipos de hábitats naturales y de los hábitats y las poblaciones de las especies silvestres (exceptuando las aves) de la Unión Europea, mediante el establecimiento de una red ecológica y un régimen jurídico de protección de las especies incluidas en el Anexo II. Esta Directiva insta a establecer vínculos funcionales de esas zonas entre sí y con la matriz territorial que las rodea y mantener la coherencia de la Red Natura 2000. Además, esta Directiva establece un sistema de protección estricto para las especies de interés comunitario del Anexo IV y regula la explotación de las especies silvestres que están incluidas en el anexo V, si bien en España esa explotación está prohibida para las citadas especies de moluscos.
A tal efecto, la Sociedad Española de Malacología (SEM), en colaboración con el Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (MNCN-CSIC), con el apoyo de TRAGSATEC por encargo del Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico (MITECO) y financiado por la Unión Europea (NextGenerationEU), organizan un seminario sobre los moluscos de la Directiva de Hábitats en España.
El propósito de este seminario científico es llevar a cabo una puesta en común y síntesis sobre el estado de conservación y las medidas de gestión de las especies de moluscos de la Directiva de Hábitats en España, mediante sesiones de trabajo a cargo de los intervinientes invitados, especialistas en la materia que colaboran en el Proyecto PRTR-ESMOLINCO.