Brachypodium distachyon (Poaceae) spikes. Picture: J. Bastida.

Trichoplusia ni (Noctuidae) feeding on a young seedling of Boechera stricta in a cone container experiment in the greenhouse. Picture: TMO.

Current projects

Natural variation for drought tolerance in the grass Brachypodium distachyon, a new model species for ecological genomics. By using an ecological genomic approach we investigate the evolutionary forces which shape natural genetic variation in this ecologically important trait across a naturally occurring water-stress gradient in the Iberian Peninsula.

Genetic and geographical variation in glucosinolate defensive compounds in natural populations of Boechera species (Brassicaceae). Combining field data and greenhouse experiments, we investigate the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that promote and maintain the genetic variation in plant defences (resistance and tolerance traits) to insect herbivores. Click here and publication list for more details.

Past project

Ecology and evolution of seed dispersal in Helleborus foetidus (Ranunculaceae). Geographical variation in animal-plant interactions. During my Thesis I investigated the ant-seed dispersal mutualism in this species across a geographical gradient in Spain. The typical ecological consequences for the plant derived of this interaction varied notably among geographical regions and populations. Equally, the evolutionary impact for the plant of such interaction, estimated in terms of phenotypic selection on seed traits varied among the different stages of the seed dispersal process. See publications for more information.