Research

Ongoing Funded Projects

Genomic and epigenomic signatures of migration in butterflies (MIGRASPHERE)

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 242.500 €
Duration: 01/09/2024 - 31/08/2027

Grant type: Proyectos de I+D+i (PID2023-152239NB-I00)
Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

Integrating emerging technology for automated forecasting and monitoring of migratory insect population dynamics and connectivity

PI: Gerard Talavera
Duration: 01/12/2024 - 31/1/2028

Project number: MMT24-IBB-01
Funded by: NextGenerationEU - CSIC

Insect dispersal in open seas

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 20.000 $
Duration: 15/08/2023 - 16/01/2024

Project number: #24943
Funded by: National Geographic Society - Lindblad Expeditions

Behavioral and ecological genomics of insect migration (ENTOMIGROME)

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 196.000 €
Duration: 01/09/2021 - 31/08/2024

Grant type: Proyectos de I+D+i (PID2020-117739GA-I00)
Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación

Eco-evolutionary responses of animals to global change (EcoEvoChange)

PI: Daniel Sol
Funding: 40.000 €
Duration: 01/03/2023 - 31/02/2026

Grant type: Grups de Recerca SGR-Cat (2021 SGR 01334)
Funded by: Generalitat de Catalunya

Taxonomic and molecular characterization of Lepidoptera, Odonata, and their trans-Saharan migratory species in two protected areas of the African Sahel

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 24.000 €
Duration: 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2025

Grant type:COOPB23061
Funded by: CSIC

Past Funded Projects

Bio-regionalization of the Afrotropics: a comparative phylogeographic framework for widespread butterflies

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 5.000 €
Duration: 03/11/2022 - 31/12/2023

Grant type: Ayudas de Incorporación a Científicos Titulares

Funded by: CSIC

An interdisciplinary scheme to advance in the field of ecology and evolution of insect migration

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 24.000 €
Duration: 03/12/2021 - 02/12/2023

Grant type: LINKA20399
Funded by: CSIC

Phenotype-genotype associations for migratory behavior in insects: combining isotope geolocation and next-generation sequencing tools

PI: Clément Bataille Co-PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 250.000 $
Duration: 1/9/2019 - 31/8/2023

Project number: NFRE-2018-00738
Funded by: New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration
(Government of Canada)

Creación de una plataforma digital de referencia para divulgación y participación ciudadana en el monitoreo de mariposas migratorias

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 24.000 €
Duration: 01/09/2021 - 31/08/2022

Grant type: Ayudas Fomento de la Cultura Científica, Tecnológica y de la Innovación (FCT-20-15689)
Funded by: Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología

Phylogeography, genomics and macroecology of insect migration

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 40.000 €
Duration: 01/09/2020 - 31/08/2025

Grant type: Ayudas Ramón y Cajal (RYC2018-025335-l)
Funded by: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

The longest butterfly migration: monitoring and conservation of the Pained Lady butterfly breeding sanctuaries in tropical Africa

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 143.000 $
Duration: 1/06/2018 - 31/05/2020

Project number: WW1-300R-18
Funded by: National Geographic Society

Mediterranean butterflies meet the lions: an African monitoring network to study and preserve trans-Saharian migrations

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 8.000 €
Duration: 1/11/2018 - 31/10/2018

Project number: PRIC grants 2018
Funded by: Fundació Barcelona ZOO

The genetics of migratory behaviour in butterflies

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 305.000 €
Duration: 15/09/2019 - 14/09/2022

Grant type: Junior Leader Retaining
Funded by: Fundació La Caixa

The Palearctic-African butterfly migration system: stable isotope evidence for spring colonization of Europe from the Sub-Sahara by Vanessa cardui

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 23.000 €
Duration: 1/02/2017 - 30/11/2018

Project number: BES Large Research Grant LRB16/1015
Funded by: British Ecological Society

MIGRATION - The most cosmopolitan animal migration: phylogeography and population genomics of the butterfly Vanessa cardui

Research Fellow: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 214.558 €
Duration: 1/02/2015 - 31/01/2018

Project number: IOF-622716
Funded by: European Commission (FP7-PEOPLE-2013)

Putnam Expedition Grant - ASIA

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 8.000 $
Duration: 2016

Funded by: Museum of Comparative Zoology - Harvard University

Putnam Expedition Grant - NORTH AMERICA

PI: Gerard Talavera
Funding: 8.698 $
Duration: 2015

Funded by: Museum of Comparative Zoology - Harvard University

Research Outline

• Phylogeography, genomics and macroecology of insect migration

Insect migratory strategies have repeatedly evolved across taxa as an adaptation to heterogenetiy in space and time. I am currently studying the evolutionary fundamentals of migration either at a genetic and macroecological levels. I am conducting a worldwide phylogeographic study of the migratory butterfly Vanessa cardui (the Painted Lady), which represents what is potentially the widest distributional range among terrestrial migratory species. I plan to track worldwide migratory routes using new technological and theoretical advances in next-generation sequencing, genomic analysis, coalescent-based phylogeography and ecological modelling approaches to make a comprehensive study of V. cardui genetic population structure and migratory dynamics.

• Evolution and diversification of butterflies

The family Lycaenidae is further characterized by a remarkable life history diversity, including an unusually broad range of host plants, a cosmopolitan distribution as a result of complex and multiple colonizations or explosive chromosome evolution that has evolved independently in several lineages. Even a notorious percentage of species have abandoned herbivory and are obligately aphytophagous for all or some portion of their lifetimes, typically consuming ants or ant-tended homopterans. Some clades present measurable bursts of diversification in some ecological regions that may be related to the colonization of arid habitats and the ability to perform diapause. The group displays an interesting pattern of wing color evolution as rapid color changes that may reflect reinforcement or ecological adaptation. Thus, the behavioral and ecological diversity of the Lycaenidae make them a prolific model system for comparative studies of life history evolution, ecology, biogeography, conservation, cytogenetics, physiology and genetics of color vision, climate change and symbiosis. I am interested both at macroecological and specific levels, as understanding speciation and diversification through chromosomal rearrangements, the phylogenetic implications of aphytophagy or the origin of the complex current biogeography. My approaches include novel combinations of different data sources (DNA, RADseq, karyotype, morphology, ecology and phylogeographic models). Within the Lycaenidae, I am working towards making the subfamily Polyommatinae phylogenetically comprehensible, one of the most taxonomically complex groups of butterflies.

• Phylogenetics and molecular systematics

It is astonishing to think that a vast mass of biological diversity is yet waiting to be discovered. A beautiful challenge remains, thus, on finding mechanisms to explore and taxonomically address either poorly known regions and habitats or non-popular groups of organisms. Although there should not be the need to justify the importance of discovering world’s remaining biodiversity, to laid out correct taxonomic hypotheses are a prerequisite for any posterior credible research. I am interested on the applicability of molecular phylogenetics to contribute to the improvement of biological classifications, biodiversity assessments and species delimitations.