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Sea straits and biogeography: the role of the Strait of Gibraltar in shaping European-African heathland plant biodiversity

Project description

The Strait of Gibraltar’s role in heathland plant habitats

The Strait of Gibraltar is a unique location with high plant biodiversity due to its geological, edaphic, and climatic singularities. Plant species of the Mediterranean dry heath and temperate Atlantic wet heath habitats on both sides of the Strait have a unique population genetic structure due to eco-evolutionary processes such as successful colonisations and isolation by geographic barriers. However, knowledge about these ecogeographic processes is limited. In this context, the MSCA-funded BIGHEATH project will use a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the biogeographical role of the Strait of Gibraltar in shaping heathland species and habitats. It will identify critical biodiversity areas such as glacial refugia and elucidate how plant biodiversity may respond to ongoing climate change, which is crucial for effective management and conservation.

Objective

The Strait of Gibraltar is a unique hotspot of plant biodiversity within the Mediterranean basin, considered as both a glacial refugium and a relatively permeable biogeographical barrier for plant biodiversity, due to its geological, edaphic and climatic singularities. At both sides of this strait, two heathland habitats of high conservation value and shared edaphic features (acid, infertile and sandy soils) deserve attention: Mediterranean dry heat (herriza) and temperate Atlantic wet heath, whose floras present a peculiar population genetic structure pointing to eco-evolutionary processes such as successful colonisations across the Strait of Gibraltar and isolation by ecogeographic barriers as main drivers in shaping heathland plant biodiversity. Nevertheless, the knowledge about this is still limited. In the present project, a multidisciplinary approach integrating genomics, phylogeography, phylogenomics, demographic inference and community ecology is proposed to contribute to a proper understanding of the role of the Strait of Gibraltar as biogeographical bridge/barrier for both heathland habitats, although particularly relevant for the forgotten but threatened wet heath flora. Likewise, the proposed project will enable to detect key biodiversity areas (probable glacial refugia) and the potential response of heathland plant biodiversity to climate change, essential information for its effective management and conservation.

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HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01

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Coordinator

UNIVERSIDAD DE CADIZ
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 181 152,96
Address
CENTRO CULTURAL REINA SOFIA PASEO CARLOS III N9
11003 CADIZ
Spain

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Region
Sur Andalucía Cádiz
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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