Marilia Souza Lucas

In my PhD Project at iDiv I will apply RADseq analyses to identify molecular mechanisms of rapid evolution in native and non-native Conyza canadensis populations. Landscape genomics will unravel adaptive and non-adaptive drivers of the global genomic structure of this cosmopolitan weed. Available common garden data will allow studying genomic associations for intraspecific trait variation for phenotypic (competitive ability) and metabolomic data (root exudate profiles). 

I have a Master's degree in Ecology and Biodiversity (2018 - 2020) from São Paulo State University (UNESP, Brazil). Previously, I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Ecology (2012 - 2017) at the same university. I was interested in understanding how defaunation affects seed dispersal. To this, I applied a combination of molecular techniques and fieldwork.

 LUCAS M, CARVALHO C, HYPOLITO G, CORTES M. Optimized protocol to isolate high quality genomic DNA from different tissues of a palm species. Hoehnea, v. 46, n. 2, 2019.   

• LUCAS M, CARVALHO C, CORTES, M. Genetic and phenotypic variation of the seeds of a palm tree in remnants of the Atlantic Forest. In: XX Latin American Scientific Initiation Meeting, 2016, São José dos Campos, SP-Brazil. Revista Univap online especial edition, 2016. v.22. p.1 – 127.   

• CARVALHO C, VALVERDE J, SOUZA M, RIBEIRO T, NAZARETH S, GALETTI M, CÔRTES M. The role of thrushes in maintaining the genetic diversity and structure of a tropical palm. Ecosistemas, v. 28, p. 26-34, 2019.   

• CARVALHO C; LUCAS, M; CÔRTES, M. Rescuing intraspecific variation in human impacted environments. Journal of Applied Ecology. Journal of Applied Ecology, v. 58, n. 2, p. 350-359, 2021.   

• CARVALHO, C; GARCIA, C; LUCAS, M; JORDANO, P; CÔRTES, M. Extant fruit‐eating birds promote genetically diverse seed rain, but disperse to fewer sites in defaunated tropical forests. Journal of Ecology, v. 109, n. 2, p. 1055-1067, 2021.