Objetivo Micrometazoans could be an intermediate status, in terms of speciation process, between larger animals (above 2 mm), because they have multicelullar conditions, and unicellular organisms, since they share habitats, resources, small size, and some biological aspects. Morphological and molecular information, needed for speciation approaches, are complementary data for population genetic, biodiversity and phylogenetic analyses among different taxonomic levels. The “Everything is Everywhere” hypothesis assumed for unicellular organisms to have wider distributions than larger animals, and more restricted distributions are explained by environmental selection, being historical events irrelevant (opposite to larger animals where are explained by historical together with ecological events). We will test speciation processes hypothesis (such as Everything is Everywhere) in micrometazoans studying Tardigrada phylum. Tardigrades are multicellular organisms phylogenetically closely related with larger animals, but with microscopic sizes (under 2 mm even hydrated/active forms), dormant stages easily dispersed, and high population numbers (like unicellular organisms). We will study patterns and processes in two environments (terrestrial and freshwater) with different dispersal ways, ecological conditions and habitat patch connections to understand speciation in Tardigrada. We will analyze with morphological and molecular information: (1) genetic populations of wide distributed species in both slopes of ancient mountains (older than tardigrade fossil record) in central Iberian Peninsula and at different elevation points along rivers within the area, (2) biodiversity patterns related with environmental, phylogenetic and taxonomic features, (3) influence of geographic barriers on population genetic structure and biodiversity patterns, and (4) phylogenetic relationships at high taxonomic levels (needed for lower taxonomic levels) since its lack of information for tardigrades. Ámbito científico natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological morphologycomparative morphologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems Programa(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Tema(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG - Marie Curie Action: "Reintegration Grants" Convocatoria de propuestas FP7-PEOPLE-2010-RG Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación MC-ERG - European Re-integration Grants (ERG) Coordinador AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Aportación de la UE € 33 750,00 Dirección CALLE SERRANO 117 28006 Madrid España Ver en el mapa Región Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid Tipo de actividad Research Organisations Contacto administrativo Eusebio Jimenez Arroyo (Mr.) Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos
