📋 Tender Overview
Sea Straits And Biogeography: The Role Of The Strait Of Gibraltar In Shaping European-African Heathland Plant Biodiversity
The Strait Of Gibraltar’S Role In Heathland Plant Habitatsthe 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.
Funded Under
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (Msca)
Total Cost
€ 0,00
Eu Contribution
€ 181 152,96
Coordinated By
Universidad De Cadiz
Spain
Start Date
1 March 2025
End Date
28 February 2027
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.
