Our Research
Our research can be placed at the crossroads of ecology and evolution, and thus uses both purely ecological and phylogenetic/phylogeographic methods, combining field, molecular and experimental approaches.
Plant-pollinator Phylogenetics and Phylogeography
Chalepogenus collecting floral oils from Calceolaria.
In the same way that the environment varies today, strong disturbances as glacial periods or tectonic events have occurred in the past. Studies in the field of bio- and phylogeography have largely demonstrated that species reacted to these variations, but how did interactions respond to such events? Indeed, in situations of strong environmental variation, organisms involved in specialized and obligate interactions can be expected to respond in a concerted manner, since the interacting species would need each other to survive. It is possible to test this idea through an analysis of the phylogeography and the timing of past demographic events experienced by the interacting organisms. On this, the field of model-based comparative phylogeography provides an ideal tool for answering this question, and it is such an approach that I am applying in this aspect of my research.
We use phylogenetic, phylogeographic, and species distribution models to understand the spatial histories of plants and their pollinators, and identify how these organisms react to strong environmental variation.
Although we work on several specialized interactions, our main focus today is the one between the genus Calceolaria and its oil-collecting pollinators to study this type of questions.
Espíndola A., Carstens B. and Alvarez N. 2014. Comparative phylogeography of mutualists and the effect of the host on the genetic structure of its partners. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 113 (4): 1021–1035. pdf
Triponez Y., Arrigo N., Espíndola A. and Alvarez N. 2015. Decoupled post-glacial history in mutualistic plant-insect interactions: insights from the yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) and its associated oil-collecting bees (Macropis europaea and M. fulvipes). Journal of Biogeography 42 (4): 630–640. pdf
We use phylogenetic, phylogeographic, and species distribution models to understand the spatial histories of plants and their pollinators, and identify how these organisms react to strong environmental variation.
Although we work on several specialized interactions, our main focus today is the one between the genus Calceolaria and its oil-collecting pollinators to study this type of questions.
Espíndola A., Carstens B. and Alvarez N. 2014. Comparative phylogeography of mutualists and the effect of the host on the genetic structure of its partners. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 113 (4): 1021–1035. pdf
Triponez Y., Arrigo N., Espíndola A. and Alvarez N. 2015. Decoupled post-glacial history in mutualistic plant-insect interactions: insights from the yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) and its associated oil-collecting bees (Macropis europaea and M. fulvipes). Journal of Biogeography 42 (4): 630–640. pdf
Effect of the environment on interactions
Pollinator sampling in the eastern US Serpentine Grasslands.
One of the aims of our research is understand and identify the environmental factors that affect the way species interact. While many theoretical studies are currently investigating these points, many less have evaluated such factors in the wild and over large spatial scales.
Our work tries to identify these factors with a combination of field samplings, molecular studies and experimental tests. For this, we have been performing large scale samplings of interacting communities, evaluating the spatial variation of their composition as a function of their biotic and abiotic environments, and have been complementing these samplings with records of morphological and physiological characters. Recently, we started to experimentally evaluate the fitness effects and potential adaptations of the interacting species under different biotic environments. We are now also working on investigating the pollination ecology and evolution of the rare and imperiled eastern US Serpentine Grasslands.
Espíndola A., Pellissier L. and Alvarez N. 2011. Variation in the proportion of flower visitors of Arum maculatum along its distributional range in relation with community-based climatic niche analyses. OIKOS 120: 728–734. pdf
Kovács-Hostyánszki A.*, Espíndola A.*, Vanbergen A., Settele J., Kremen C., Dicks L. 2017. Ecological intensification to mitigate impacts of land use change on pollinators and pollination. Ecology Letters 20 (5), 673-689. *co-first-authors. pdf
Espíndola A. and Pliscoff P. 2019. The Relationship Between Pollinator Visits and Climatic Suitabilities in Specialized Pollination Interactions. Ann. Entom. Soc. Amer. 112(3): 150–157. doiOur work tries to identify these factors with a combination of field samplings, molecular studies and experimental tests. For this, we have been performing large scale samplings of interacting communities, evaluating the spatial variation of their composition as a function of their biotic and abiotic environments, and have been complementing these samplings with records of morphological and physiological characters. Recently, we started to experimentally evaluate the fitness effects and potential adaptations of the interacting species under different biotic environments. We are now also working on investigating the pollination ecology and evolution of the rare and imperiled eastern US Serpentine Grasslands.
Espíndola A., Pellissier L. and Alvarez N. 2011. Variation in the proportion of flower visitors of Arum maculatum along its distributional range in relation with community-based climatic niche analyses. OIKOS 120: 728–734. pdf
Kovács-Hostyánszki A.*, Espíndola A.*, Vanbergen A., Settele J., Kremen C., Dicks L. 2017. Ecological intensification to mitigate impacts of land use change on pollinators and pollination. Ecology Letters 20 (5), 673-689. *co-first-authors. pdf
Complementing phylogenies and ecology to discover species and help taxonomy
The gorgeous temperate rain forests of the Pacific Northwest harbor high levels of cryptic diversity.
The current advances in the development of molecular markers, as well as phylogenetic and ecological methods are providing new and exciting ways of understanding the evolutionary relationships between species, and the environmental and adaptive events that drive diversification.
Our work in collaboration with Jack Sullivan, Dave Tank, Bryan Carstens and Tara Pelletier is developing methods to identify cryptic diversity and species at risk using ecological and comparative phylogeographic approaches. These methods exploit global databases and successfully link climatic niche and phylogenetic approaches to identify species that are likely harboring cryptic diversity, in a quick and cost-effective manner.
We have also been combining molecular methods with natural history, ecological, biogeographic and taxonomic data to clarify relationships in difficult taxonomic. Collaborations with plant (Arum sp., Calceolaria sp.) and insect (Chiastocheta sp., Psychodinae, Psychodidae, Chalepogenus sp.) specialists such as Jan Ježek, Greg Curler, Antonio Aguiar, Jessica Litman, Philippe Kuepfer and Sven Buerki have led to further clarification of taxonomic issues and community assembly questions.
Espíndola A., Ruffley M., Smith M., Carstens B. C., Tank D., Sullivan J. 2016. Identifying cryptic diversity with predictive phylogeography. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B.
Espíndola A., Buerki S. and Alvarez N. 2012. Ecological and historical drivers of diversification in the fly genus Chiastocheta Pokorny. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 63 (2): 466–474. pdf
Our work in collaboration with Jack Sullivan, Dave Tank, Bryan Carstens and Tara Pelletier is developing methods to identify cryptic diversity and species at risk using ecological and comparative phylogeographic approaches. These methods exploit global databases and successfully link climatic niche and phylogenetic approaches to identify species that are likely harboring cryptic diversity, in a quick and cost-effective manner.
We have also been combining molecular methods with natural history, ecological, biogeographic and taxonomic data to clarify relationships in difficult taxonomic. Collaborations with plant (Arum sp., Calceolaria sp.) and insect (Chiastocheta sp., Psychodinae, Psychodidae, Chalepogenus sp.) specialists such as Jan Ježek, Greg Curler, Antonio Aguiar, Jessica Litman, Philippe Kuepfer and Sven Buerki have led to further clarification of taxonomic issues and community assembly questions.
Espíndola A., Ruffley M., Smith M., Carstens B. C., Tank D., Sullivan J. 2016. Identifying cryptic diversity with predictive phylogeography. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B.
Espíndola A., Buerki S. and Alvarez N. 2012. Ecological and historical drivers of diversification in the fly genus Chiastocheta Pokorny. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 63 (2): 466–474. pdf