Evolutionary Ecology - EE

Evolutionary Ecology - EE

The EE Research Group includes 11 senior researchers (integrated members), three of whom hold academic positions and one a contract as research investigator, and 7 of whom hold post-doctoral grants. The group also includes 11 Ph.D. students and five grant researchers.

The EE research lies at the intersection of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, to understand the micro-evolutionary patterns and processes as a function of particular ecologic scenarios. Conversely, the group studies the ecology of organisms and systems taking into account the evolutionary history of populations and communities. Emphasis is given to (a) evolution in response to environmental changes, (b) evolution of social behavior and other behavioral patterns and (c) evolution of species interactions. Research done by the members of the group uses experimental evolution, quantitative genetics, comparative genomics, modeling, and computer simulations. The group works mainly with Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, the spider mite Tetranychus urticae, and bacteria. It is subdivided into four research subgroups, each headed by a Principal Investigator: ‘Local Adaptation in Drosophila’, ‘Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms’, ‘Adaptation in Heterogeneous Environments’ and 'Eco-evolutionary Genetics'.

Sub-Groups

Adaptation to Complex Environments Eco-evolutionary Genetics Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Local adaptation in Drosophila MITE2: Multidisciplinary Investigation Targeting Ecology and Evolution

Team

Projects