Scientific Interests

1.- Integrative historic biogeography.

salamander earth

Understanding the spatial dimension of the tree of life is one of the key questions in modern biology. The dynamics of biodiversity across space and time have been subject to intense study and debate, but the recent availability of new data and tools provide a good opportunity to address some of the big questions in the field from a new perspective. Our approach integrates phylogenetic and phylogeographic data, coalescent and comparative methods with spatial distribution modelling under current and paleo-climatic scenarios, to test hypotheses on niche evolution, effects of the last glaciation on genetic diversity and demography (using coalescent theory), species substructure, expansions and glacial refugia. We also investigate the origin of extant diversity using phylogenetics and several methods of biogeographic reconstruction.

References:

Vieites DR, Nieto-Román S, Wake DB. 2009. Reconstruction of the climate envelopes of salamanders and their evolution through time. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA doi:10.1073/pnas.0902956106.

Vieites DR, Min MS, Wake D. 2007. Rapid diversification and dispersal during global warming periods by plethodontid salamanders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA 104(50): 19903-19907.

Poux, C., Madsen O., Marquard E., Vieites D. R., de Jong W. W. & Vences M. 2005. Asynchronous colonization of Madagascar by the four endemic clades of primates, tenrecs, carnivores, and rodents as inferred from nuclear genes. Systematic Biology 54 (5): 719-730.

Vences M., Vieites D.R., Glaw F., Brinkmann H., Kosuch J., Veith M. and Meyer A. 2003. Multiple overseas dispersal in amphibians. Proceedings Royal Society London B 270:2435-2442.

2.- Adaptive radiation, patterns of diversity and conservation of Malagasy vertebrates.

Madagascar is an excellent model region to study the evolutionary mechanisms involved in the formation of new species and comparative patterns of evolution, using its extensive endemic radiations of vertebrates as models. This biodiversity hotspot harbours a highly diverse and endemic fauna, which largely evolved in isolation due to the limited dispersal to and from other landmasses. In collaboration with Professor Miguel Vences (U. Braunschweigg), I have been using phylogenies to investigate the colonization of Madagascar by different clades of vertebrates, as well as amphibian and reptile systematics. We use herps as a model system to investigate ongoing and past speciation hypotheses in this area, incorporating ecological, geographical, genetic and climatic data, which can also help to understand the current biogeographic zonation. I am also using genetic data to test for general patterns of phylogeographic differentiation in vertebrates. Linked to this we are developing potential distribution maps for many vertebrates from museum specimen locality data records in order to determine conservation priorities in Madagascar.

References:
Kremen C, Cameron A, Moilanen A, Phillips S, Beentje H, Dransfeld J, Fisher BL, Glaw F, Hijmans R, Lees D, Louis E, Raxworthy C, Schatz G, Vences M, Vieites DR, Wright PC, Zjhra ML. 2007. Aligning conservation priorities across taxa in Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot. Science 320: 222-226.

Vieites DR, Wollenberg KC, Andreone F, Köhler J, Glaw F, Vences M. 2009. Vast underestimation of Madagascar's biodiversity evidenced by an integrative amphibian inventory, 2009. PNAS 106: 8267-8272

3.- Phylogenetic relationships of living amphibians.

MuseoNY3 One of the most interesting debates in vertebrate evolution is the origin, relationships and divergence among the three orders of living amphibians. Frogs and salamanders are known from the Jurassic as well as a caecilian with limbs and girdles, thus each group has clear links to the early Mesozoic. The relation of the three extant orders of amphibians to Paleozoic groups, such as temnospondyls or lepospondyls, is unclear Also, recent molecular data place the origin of the three orders back to Palaeozoic or early Triassic, soon after the divergence from lobe-finned fishes, suggesting that the extant orders of amphibians may be polyphyletic and remnants of the Permian radiation. I am using multilocus molecular phylogenies to investigate the interrelationships of the three extant orders of amphibians, as well as family, genus and species level relationships mainly on salamanders and Malagasy frogs. These phylogenetic hypotheses are allowing me to investigate the evolution of certain morphological, developmental and ecological characters, as gene evolution as well. The number of newly described amphibian species has increased exponentially during last decade, including the recent discovery we made of a new divergent genus, Karsenia, and a new family of frogs. Amphibians are in decline worldwide and conservation actions are urgently needed, but we are far from a complete taxonomic work to facilitate those actions. There are several amphibian groups that are poorly known and regions that need further exploration. I am doing collection-based research in several target regions, in order to complete our knowledge of amphibian diversity, focusing on groups that are really poorly understood.

References:
Ming M.S., Yang S.Y., Bonett R. M, Vieites D.R., Brandon R.A. & Wake D.B. 2005. Discovery of the first Asian plethodontid salamander. Nature 435 (7038):87-90.

4.- Evolution of life histories in mountain faunas: impact of climate change.

Many vertebrate species now inhabit high elevation basins that were glaciers during the Pleistocene. The opportunistic colonization of these new habitats after the retreat of ice implies a rapid adaptation to new conditions, usually from forested areas at low elevations to open subalpine and alpine areas with no forest cover. Paradoxically, while lowland communities disappeared during the last decades due to human-associated development and species maintained populations in mountain pristine habitats, global warming has been predicted to mostly affect species living at high elevations in mountains, with major ecological and conservation implications. Comparing life histories of vertebrates from lowland and high elevations will allow us to understand their adaptations to these environments and their historical responses to past climatic change. For these studies, I am focussing on three different mountain ranges: the Pyrenees in Europe, and the Ankaratra and Andringitra mountains in Madagascar. Since 1995 I have been working with montane amphibians, using them as a model for addressing questions in ecology, population dynamics, conservation biology and sexual selection theory. diagram

We described a new mating strategy for amphibians from high elevation populations, called “clutch piracy”. It consists of the clasping of recently deposited clutches by pirate males, which partly fertilize in the absence of females, gaining the opportunity to fertilize eggs when female availability is low. As sexual selection by females occurs, and this strategy is correlated with a male-biased operational sex ratio, temporal changes in community structure may affect the different reproductive strategies and investment of males and females. This system offers a unique opportunity to test specific hypotheses of sexual selection theory, and to link potential effects of climate change to behavioural and ecological factors relevant for high elevation amphibian communities.

References:
Vieites, D.R., Nieto-Román, S., Barluenga, M., Palanca, A., Vences, M. and Meyer, A. 2004. Post-mating clutch piracy in an amphibian. Nature 431: 305-8.

Vences M., Andreone F., Glaw F., Raminosoa N., Randrianirina J. and Vieites D.R. 2002. Amphibians and reptiles of the Ankaratra Massif: Reproductive diversity, biogeography and conservation of a montane fauna in Madagascar. Italian Journal of Zoology 69: 263-284.