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|  | Integrative Ecology |
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The Integrative Ecology Group at EBD was created in 2001 with the ultimate goal
of exploring the component of biodiversity explained by the interactions among species.
These interactions of mutual dependency shape complex networks acting as the architecture
of biodiversity. One important characteristic of this research line is its interdisciplinary
component, based on the integration of several approaches, mainly evolutionary ecology,
population genetics, and theoretical ecology. This results in an eminently collaborative research. Indeed, we collaborate with international groups of physicists, field
ecologists, and geneticists. Currently, this research line is a reference in the
field of the structure and dynamics of ecological networks. Our research explores
to what extent ecological interactions shape the diversity of life within complex
ecological systems. Our approach is synthetic and interdisciplinary, combining field work with the statistical analyses of large data sets and the development of mathematical models and simulations. Our central goal is to understand the functional role of
ecological interactions in processes affecting biodiversity. This approach allows
a systemic description of several ecological problems such as coevolution within
diverse communities and the risk of collapse in the face of global change. A major
goal is the study of mutualistic networks between plants and their pollinators and
seed dispersers. This approach allows us to understand how coevolution works within
complex communities determining the variety of vital life histories, biogeographical
patterns, and genetic structure within species. Similarly, our work on mutualistic
networks provides a conceptual framework to understand how these networks and the
services they provide would respond to global environmental change. A second goal
of our research line deals with the networks of connectivity and gene flow in fragmented landscapes. We employ molecular genetics techniques and network theory applied to
metapopulations of several study species in Mediterranean, Macaronesian, and tropical
areas. This approach allows us to quantify the role of pollinators and seed dispersers
in the long-distance dispersal events and their effects on the genetic structure
of plant populations. This gets us closer to understanding how global environmental
change would affect plant communities in terms of dispersal and adaptation.
