Home
>
News
>
Mértola Evolution Conferences– 2025 edition: Speciation: from field...

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

Event

April 05th, 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 Seale
9:30-10:00 - Welcome Coffee and Cakes
10:00-10:30 - Opening Ceremony
10:30-11:45 - Rosemary Grant: "Speciation and Hybridization in Darwin’s Finches”
11:45-13:00 - Peter Grant: "Speciation: from Microcosm to Macrocosm”
13:00-14:30 - Lunch
14:30-15:30 - Leif Andersson: "Atlantic herring - an adaptive radiation with incomplete reproductive isolation”
15:30-16:00 - 2 Short contributed talks (12+3 min)
16:00-16:30 - Coffee Break
16:30-18:00 - 6 Short contributed talks (12+3 min)
19:00 - Dinner

DAY 2, 6th of April
Chair: Leif Andersson
09:30-10:30 - Joana Meier: "The roles of hybridisationand chromosomal rearrangements in rapid adaptive radiations”
10:30-11:00 - Coffee Break
11:00-12:00 - Rui Faria: "The role of chromosomalinversions in Littorina adaptation and speciation”
12:00-13:30 - Lunch
13:30-14:30 - Roger Butlin: "Hybrid zones andreproductive isolation”
14:30-15:00 - Jeremy Searle: "Despeciation"
15:00-15:30 - Coffee Break
15:30-16.00 - Rikard Holmdahl: "Whywe became humans”
16:00-17.00 - Discussion of key topics in speciation
17:00 -Close of Conference
17:30-19:00 -Free time to visit Mértola

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

Organized by:

Collaboration of:

< View all Events