Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-05-27

Cophylogeography of ecological replicates: the coevolution and biogeography of Galapagos mockingbirds and their ectoparasites

Objective

Evolutionary radiations of colonists on archipelagos provide valuable insight into the mechanisms and modes of speciation. Using both morphological and molecular genetic techniques this study will examine the coevolutionary history of multiple ectoparasite lineages parasitizing the endemic mockingbirds of the Galapagos. Using 3000+ samples collected by a recent EU funded project this study will compare and contrast the genetic structure of mockingbird ectoparasites at six different scales (between and within host species, islands, and parasite groups) for the parasitic lice and mites infecting mockingbirds on the 16 islands of the Galapagos. Each widespread parasite lineage forms an ecological replicate to test the relative contributions of host diversification and geography to patterns of parasite genetic differentiation and speciation. This system provides a framework to understand the correlates of parasite diversification, their mode of speciation and the evolution of host specialization. These data will make an important contribution to our understanding of how louse-vectored diseases may be spread, and help inform conservation plans due to the higher rates of genetic evolution in parasite groups, relative to their avian hosts. The region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, and the host group played a now famous role in triggering Charles Darwin’s initial insights into natural selection. Key outputs include a genetic study of the parasite lineages, biogeographic and coevolutionary analyses of the host-parasite relationships, and a database of host-parasite associations, images, and related data. These will be collated on a project website using an EU funded EDIT “Scratchpad”. Interdisciplinary training in molecular and morphological systematics and biodiversity informatics will be provided by the project coordinator, coupled with a structured postdoctoral course run by the host institution to develop the applicant’s transferable skills.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Coordinator

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
EU contribution
€ 173 416,47
Address
CROMWELL ROAD
SW7 5BD London
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
London Inner London — West Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham
Activity type
Public bodies (excluding Research Organisations and Secondary or Higher Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

No data
My booklet 0 0