Mértola Evolution Conferences– 2025 edition: Speciation: from field studies to genomics

From 05 Apr 2025 until 06 Apr 2025 - Cineteatro de Mértola, Mértola, Portugal

It is a pleasure to announce the first edition of Mértola Evolution Conferences (MECs), which will occur in the Spring at the beautiful historical town of Mértola, Southern Portugal.

Mértola Conferences aim to bring researchers and students from all over the world to discuss cutting-edge studies in biology focusing on evolution (each year a specific topic), fostering new ideas and collaborations. Mértola Conferences are promoted by EBM – Biological Station of Mértola, in collaboration with the Faculty of Sciences and CIBIO-BIOPOLIS from the University of Porto, and other national and international institutions.

Mértola is located in the Southeast Alentejo region of Portugal, near the Spanish border, crossed by the Guadiana river and in the center of the Natural Park of Guadiana Valley. It is a biodiversity hotspot - a prime Mediterranean ecosystem. The antiquity of Mértola is attested by the many archaeological remains that prove the continuous human occupation of this territory. The first traces of human presence date back to the Neolithic period, five thousand years ago, with different civilizations, like Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians represented. More information here.

The MEC 2025 edition, entitled "Speciation: from field studies to genomics”, is focused on speciation research, where we revisit the earliest studied systems and come back to look at new genomic data with Charles Darwin’s eyes.

MEC 2025 is pleased to announce prominent speakers in evolutionary biology: Peter Grant (Princeton University, USA); Rosemary Grant (Princeton University, USA); Leif Andersson (Uppsala University, Sweden), Joana Meier (University of Cambridge, UK), Roger Butlin (University of Sheffield, UK), Rui Faria (CIBIO/BIOPOLIS, University of Porto), Jeremy Searle (Cornell University, USA, FCUP & EBM) and Rikard Holmdahl (Karolinska Institute, Sweden), among others participants.

See you in Mértola !!!

PROGRAM

DAY 1, 5th of April

Chair: Jeremy Searle

9:30-10:00 - Welcome Coffee and Cakes

10:00-10:30 - Opening Ceremony

10:30-11:45 - Peter Grant: "Speciation: from Microcosm to Macrocosm”

11:45-13:00 - Rosemary Grant: "Speciation and Hybridization in Darwin’s Finches”

13:00-14:30 - Lunch

14:30-15:30 - Leif Andersson: "Atlantic herring - an adaptive radiation with incomplete reproductive isolation”

15:30-15:45 - José Cerca: "Consistent transposable element accumulation in the face of hybridization and rapid speciation in Galápagos giant daisies (Scalesia)”

15:45-16:00 - Martim Melo: "Signatures of selection despite ephemeral population dynamics in "Darwin's Sparrow" (Passer iagoensis, Cabo Verde endemic)”

16:00-16:30 - Coffee Break

16:30-16:45 - Borja Milá: "Diversification and local adaptation between and within oceanic islands: the Chaffinch radiation in Macaronesia”

16:45-17:00 – Jan T. Lifjeld: "Sperm and speciation in songbirds”

17:00-17:15 – Salomé Barreto: "Ecological differentiation influences the evolution of prezygotic isolation in spider-mite species”

17:15-17:30 – Marta Berluenga: "Host-parasite interactions drive speciation in crater lake cichlid fish”

17:30-17:45 - Ester Serrão: "Climate-driven evolution at range margins of marine forests”

17:45-18:00 - Kari Saikkonen: "Extreme polar light regimes promote hybrid zones at higher latitudes and biodiversity globally?”

19:00 – Dinner

DAY 2, 6th of April

Chair: Leif Andersson

09:30-10:30 - Joana Meier: "The roles of hybridisation and chromosomal rearrangements in rapid adaptive radiations”

10:30-11:00 - Coffee Break

11:00-12:00 - Rui Faria: "The role of chromosomal inversions in Littorina adaptation and speciation”

12:00-13:00 - Roger Butlin: "Hybrid zones and reproductive isolation”

13:00-14:30 - Lunch

14:30-15:00 - Jeremy Searle: "Despeciation"

15:00-15.30 - Rikard Holmdahl: "Why we became humans”

15:30-15:45 - Carl Vangestel: "How ancient chromosomal inversions shaped a parallel Galápagos beetle radiation.”

15:45-16:00 -Hannes Svardal: "Introgression dynamics of sex-linked chromosomal inversions shape the Malawi cichlid adaptive radiation”

16:00-16:30 Coffee Break

16:30-16.45 - Alexandre Blanckaert: "Interactions between mechanisms of reproductive isolation”

16:45-17:00 - Silu Wang: "Mitonuclear divergence predicts gradual speciation in animal hybrid zones”

17:00-17:15 - Sofia L. Mendes: "Hybridization is prevalent but outcomes are distinct across highly differentiated Iberian chub species"

17:15-17:30 – Giovanni Forcina: "Neglected human-driven species diversification: the case of the Javan Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus bankiva) "

17:30-19:00 – Close of Conference and Free time to visit Mértola

PROGRAM in pdf available here or with the following QRcode

ABTRACTS are available here

ORGANIZATION

Leif Andersson, Uppsala University

Miguel Carneiro, CIBIO-BIOPOLIS

Rui Faria, CIBIO-BIOPOLIS

Paulo Célio Alves, FCUP, CIBIO-BIOPOLIS & EBM
Jeremy Searle, Cornell University, FCUP & EBM

INSTITUTIONS

EBM - Estação Biológica de Mértola
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto

CIBIO-BIOPOLIS

Câmara Municipal de Mértola

REGISTRATION & ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

Registration is open to all participants, whether you wish to attend only or also submit an abstract for consideration.

Registration Here

How to Participate?

Attend Only – Register to join the meeting, engage in discussions, and network with peers.

Attend & Submit an Abstract (Optional) – If you wish to present your research, you may submit an abstract for consideration.

Abstract Submission (Optional)

Deadline: March 10, 2025
Selection: 8 abstracts will be chosen for a short talk (12 min + 3 min discussion).
Registration Requirement:
If you submit an abstract, you have two options:

- Register immediately when submitting your abstract.
- Wait for acceptance – If you prefer, you can submit your abstract first and only register if it is accepted for presentation.

Registration

Deadline: March 20, 2025

Limited places available!

Registration is subject to availability and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

We encourage you to register as soon as possible to secure your place.

Abstract submission deadline: 10 March 2025

Registration Deadline: 20 March 2025 (or until full capacity is reached)

Fees

50€ (students) | 100€ (other participants). Payment will be made to Associação BIOPOLIS - VAT No. 516033727.

Participation is free for BIODIV students (PhD) with a limited number of places available.

Registration fees do not include accommodation or meals.

For any questions, please contact:

Scientific inquiries: ruifaria@cibio.up.pt

Payments & invoices: contabilidade@biopolis.pt
Administrative inquiries: education_training@biopolis.pt

Organization:

Collaboration of: