Evolutionary Ecology - EE
MITE2: Multidisciplinary Investigation Targeting Ecology and Evolution

Miguel Alfredo Rodrigues Cruz

PhD Student

Herbivorous mites Host-parasite interactions Reproductive isolation and speciation Competition Molecular ecology Experimental evolution

I am a Ph.D. student in the Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution (BIODIV) programme of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon. My main research interests concern inter-specific reproductive interactions, host-parasite interactions and molecular ecology. With my current project, I aim to shed light on how competitive interactions are shaped by ecological specialization, reproductive isolation and reproductive interference, as well as by individual variation for these traits. In turn, I aim to also test how competition and coexistence between species can shape the evolution of reproductive interactions. To address these issues, I will study different populations and species of Tetranychid spider mites under the supervision of Sara Magalhães, Flore Zélé and Vítor Sousa.