Filipe Alberto

Associate Professor
Biological Sciences

Education

  • PhD, University of the Algarve, Portugal, 2005
  • MS, University of Montpellier II, France, 2000
  • BS, University of the Algarve, Portugal, 1996

Website:

http://alberto-lab.blogspot.com/

Research Interests

My research emphasis is in understanding micro-evolutionary processes at small spatial scales, such as clonal species' life history strategies, with a focus on dispersal and sexual versus asexual allocation. I am also curious about the evolution at the biogeographic scale, and the discoveries that can be driven by analyzing genetic diversity found across the distribution range of species.

My current research focuses on the molecular ecology of marine plants and algae. Presently my funded research is related to the following topics:

  • California giant kelp seascape genetics.
  • Landscape genetics in a coastal lagoon using seagrasses as models.
  • Understanding the drivers of sexual and asexual allocation strategies in marine plants.

I am interested in using and developing innovative quantitative methods to address my research questions using simulations and programming with R.

Selected Publications

Castorani, Max C., Reed, Daniel, Raimondi, Peter, Alberto, Filipe A., Bell, Tom W., Cavanaugh, kyle C., Siegel, David A., and Simmons, Rachel D.“Fluctuations in population fecundity drive variation in demographic connectivity and metapopulation dynamics” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B().
Castorani, Max C., Reed, Daniel C., Alberto, Filipe A., Bell, Tom W., Simons, Rachel D., Cavanaugh, Kyle C., Siegel, Dave A., and Raimondi, Pete T.“Connectivity structures local population dynamics: a long-term empirical test in a large metapopulation system” Ecology(2015).
Johansson, Mattias, Alberto, Filipe A., Reed, Daniel C., Raimondi, Peter T., Coelho, Nelson C., Young, Mary A., Cavanaugh, Kyle, Coyer, Jim, Ladah, Lydia B., W., Siegel, David A., and Serrao, Ester A.“Seascape drivers of Macrocystis pyrifera population genetic structure in the northeast Pacific” Molecular Ecology24. (2015): 4866-4885.
Cavanaugh, Kyle, Siegel, David, Raimondi, Peter, and Alberto, Filipe A.“Patch definition in metapopulation analysis: a graph theory approach to solve the mega-patch problem” Ecology95.2 (2014): 316-328.
Oliva, Silvia, Romero, Javier, Perez, Marta, Manent, Pablo, Mascaró, Oriol, Coelho, Nelson C., Serrão, Ester A., and Alberto, Filipe A.“Reproductive strategies and isolation-by-demography in a marine clonal plant along an eutrophication gradient” Molecular Ecology23. (2014): 5698-5711.
Johansson, Mattias, Raimondi, Peter, Reed, Daniel, Coelho, Nelson, Serrão, Ester, and Alberto, Filipe A.“Looking into the black box: simulating the role of self fertilization and mortality in the genetic structure of Macrocystis pyrifera” Molecular Ecology22.19 (2013): 4842-4854.
Assis, Jorge, Coelho, Nelson, Alberto, Filipe A., Valero, Mryam, Raimondi, Peter, Reed, Daniel, and Serrão, Ester. “High and distinct range-edge genetic diversity despite local bottlenecks” PlosOne8.7 (2013).
Cavanaugh, K. C., Kendall, B. E., Siegel, D. A., Reed, D. C., Alberto, Filipe A., and Assis, J.. “Synchrony in dynamics of giant kelp forests is driven by both local recruitment and regional environmental controls” Ecology94.2 (2013): 499-509.
Alberto, Filipe A., Raimondi, Peter T., Reed, Dan C., Watson, James R., Siegel, David A., Mitarai, Satoshi, Coelho, Nelson, and Serrão, Ester A.“Isolation by oceanographic distance explains genetic structure for Macrocystis pyrifera in the Santa Barbara Channel” Molecular Ecology20.12 (2011): 2543-2554.