CURRICULUM VITAE

Summary of Education and Research experience (Spring 2015)

I am 32 years old and a Spanish National. I obtained my degree in Environmental Sciences at University Pablo de Olavide (2000-2005, Seville, Spain), my MSc in Biology at University of Seville (2005- 2007, Seville, Spain) and my PhD in Plant Systematics and Evolution at University Pablo de Olavide (Dec 2009, Seville, Spain). I was a FPU fellow (Spanish program) during my PhD student period (2006 - 2010). I have finished a postdoctoral Fulbright fellowship at Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL, USA; September-2010 to September-2012). I have also finished the outgoing period of a postdoctoral Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship at Field Museum of Natural History (October-2012 to present, Chicago, IL, USA) and the return period of my postdoctoral Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship at Doñana Biological Station CSIC (April-2014 to March-2015, Seville, Spain). From April 2015 I have enjoyed a postdoctoral research position at University of Seville.

Personal details

Full name: Antonio Marcial Escudero Lirio

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/amesclir/

E-mail: [email protected]

Date of Birth: 06/July/1982

Education and training

April-2015-to present œ Postdoctoral Training Fellowship at University of Seville, Spain.

O Project title: —Conflisex Project: Sex conflict and separation: effects of herkogamy on the reproductive system of hermaphroditic “. O State: The researcher is in the experimental phase of the project. O Funding: MINECO, Spanish Government.

Oct-2012-March-2015 œ Postdoctoral Marie Curie IOF scientist at Field Museum, USA. O Project title: —HoloChromEvol: Evolution in holocentric chromosomes and its incidence in speciation“. O Funding: Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) for Career Development, European Commission (HoloChromEvol 301119).

Sept-2010 œ Sept-2012 œ Postdoctoral Fulbrighter at Morton Arboretum, USA.

O Project title: —Species diversification in a rapidly evolving angiosperm genus: Testing alternative models of chromosomal speciation in scoparia ()“.

O Funding: Fulbright program and Spanish Science Ministry (FU2009-0946). O Special distinctions: Only nine of more than 1,100 applications got the maximum mark during proposal evaluation. This application was one of them.

March-2010 œ May-2010 œ ABEL fellowship (NILS mobility project) at CEES, Oslo, Norway.

O Project title: —Selection and inertia in the evolution of holocentric chromosomes in sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae)“. O Funding: NILS (Norway-Iceland-Lichtenstein-Spain) Mobility Project, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Madrid, Madrid) and Pablo de Olavide Universtiy (Seville, Spain).

March-2006 œ March-2010 œ PhD œ Pablo de Olavide University, Spain

O Thesis title: —Evolutionary patterns in Carex sect. Spirostachyae (Cyperaceae): systematic, biogeographic and cytogenetic approach“. O Classification: —Sobresaliente Cum Laude por unanimidad“ (Highest award under Spanish system). O Funding: Spanish Science Ministry (AP2005-3715, FPU program or —programa de formación de profesorado universitario“). O Special distinctions: This PhD study has been recognized as the best one for the academic year 2009 œ 2010 in the Pablo de Olavide University from a multidisciplinary point of view. This PhD study received also an Extraordinary Doctorate Award from Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering Department (UPO). O Two short stays were performed using funding from FPU program: Oct-2008 œ December œ 2008 œ Short stay (FPU program) at The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL, USA. Sept-2007 œ December-2007 œ Short stay (FPU program) at PRI, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Sept-2005 œ Sept-2007 œ MSc in Plant Biology œ Seville University

O Thesis title: —Evolution in Carex sect. Spirostachyae“. O Classification: —Sobresaliente“ (Highest award under Spanish system for Master‘s thesis).

2004 œ 2005 œ Undergraduate research fellowships 1. Sept-2005 œ Dec-2005 œ CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas de España) fellowship for last year undergraduate students. 2. Sept-2004-July-2005 œ Spanish Science Ministry fellowship for last year undergraduate students. 3. Jul-2004 œ Sept-2004 œ CSIC fellowship for penultimate year undergraduate students. 4. Jan-2004 œ Jun-2004 œ Pablo de Olavide fellowship for penultimate year undergraduate students.

2000 œ 2005 œ BSc in Environmental Sciences œ University Pablo de Olavide, Spain

O Classification: The best student record for BSc in Environmental Sciences (2000-2005). The best student record in the Faculty of Experimental Sciences (2000-2005). The global classification during five year long BSc was higher than 9 in a 10 scale.

Additinal scientific training

O 2012- —Phylogentic Comparative methods“, Field Museum, USA. See overview: https://sites.google.com/a/fieldmuseum.org/pcm2012/Course-objectives. A total of eighteen in-class hours classes during a period of two months.

O 2012- —Genotyping-By-Sequecing“, Field Museum, USA. Course in next generations sequencing methods with theory and practice. One week.

O 2006- —DNA phylogenies and genealogies: reconstructions and applications“, University of Barcelona, Spain. Postgraduate course in phylogenetics, populations genetics, and phylogeography theory and practice. Two weeks.

Additonal Skills

O Languages: Fluent Spanish and English.

O Technical skills and competences: o Molecular Techniques including Next Generation Sequencing, DNA extraction, PCR, AFLP, DNA sequencing, microsatellites, etc. o Cytogenetic techniques. o Managing / analysing large DNA sequences databases. o Phylogenetics and population genetics. o Statistical analysis of large data sets. o Phylogentic comparative methods.

O Computer skills and competences o Multitude of bioinformatic, phylogenetic, phylogenomic and population genetics software. o Analyses of data from NGS. o Programming in R language. o Beginner in Python language. o Windows, Mac and Linux user.

Teaching, mentorship and research experience

Teaching experience

O 2007 œ 2009 œ Teaching under FPU program (140 hours) in the BSc Environmental Sciences (University Pablo de Olavide). In the subjects —Botany“ and —Conservation of Natural Resources“ O 2002 œ 2005 œ Collaboration as undergraduate students in the BSc Environmental Sciences (Pablo de Olavide University). In the subjects —Botany“ and —Vascular Flora of Mountain“.

Mentorship experience

O 2012 œ Present œ Tamara Villaverde‘s advisor during her ongoing research in her PhD study —Bipolar disjunctions in Carex“ at Pablo de Olavide University. O 2012 œ Present œ Enrique Maguilla‘s advisor during his ongoing research in his PhD study —Systematics and Evolution in Carex sect. Glareosae“ at Pablo de Olavide University. O 2012-2013 œ Jesús Cebrino's advisor during his Thesis in the MSc of Biodiversity and Conservation at Pablo de Olavide University. O 2011 œ 2012 œ Enrique Maguilla‘s advisor during his Thesis in the MSc of Biodiversity and Conservation at Pablo de Olavide University. O 2010 œ 2011 œ Enrique Maguilla‘s advisor during his —Final Project of Degree“ in the BSc Environmental Sciences at Pablo de Olavide University. O 2008 œ 2009 œ Jose Maria del Rey‘s advisor during his Thesis in the MSc of Biodiversity and Conservation at Pablo de Olavide University. O 2007 œ 2008 œ Jose Maria del Rey‘s advisor during his —Final Project of Degree“ in the BSc Environmental Sciences at Pablo de Olavide University.

Research experience

Grants, fellowships, recognitions and independent evaluations:

 Oct-2012 œ Present œ IOF Marie Curie fellowship. Awarded by European Commission (HoloChromEvol 301119).  2011 œ Enrique Maguilla‘s advisor in a research project which was awarded with an Accesit Award in the X Scientific Competition Arquimedes. Awarded by Spanish Science Ministry.  2011 œ The best Doctorate Thesis. Awarded by Pablo de Olavide University and Government of Seville City. My PhD study was recognized as the best one for the academic year 2009 œ 2010 in the Pablo de Olavide University.  Oct-2010 œ Sept-2012 œ Postdoctoral Fulbright fellowship. Awarded by Fulbright Program and Spanish Science Ministry (FU2009-0946). Mark: 60 of 60, only 9 of more than 1,100 applicants got this maximum mark.  March-2010 œ May-2010 œ ABEL fellowship. Awarded by NILS mobility project. 2010 œ Extraordinary Doctorate Award. Awarded by Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Pablo de Olavide University. April-2006 œ March-2010 œ FPU fellowship. Awarded by Spanish Science Ministry (FU2009- 0946). This program is considered the best program for graduate students in Spanish science. Including two short stays of 12 weeks at PRI (Fall 2007, Wageningen, The Netherlands) and 10 weeks at The Morton Arboretum (Fall 2008, Lisle, IL, USA). 2006 œ Andalusian award to academic trajectory in Environmental Sciences degree. Awarded by Academia de Ciencias Sociales y del Medio Ambiente de Andalucia, Consejeria de Educación y Ciencia, Government of Andalusia. 2005 œ Final phase of the IV Scientific Competition Arquimedes. Awarded by Spanish Science Ministry.  2005 œ The best student record in the Faculty of Experimental Sciences (2000-2005). Awarded by Pablo de Olavide University and Government of Seville City.  2005 œ The best student record in BSc Environmental Sciences (2000-2005). Awarded by Pablo de Olavide University.  Sept-2005 œ Dec-2005 - CSIC Last Year Undergraduate Student fellowship. Awarded by CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas de España).  2004 œ 2005 œ Spanish Science Ministry Last Year Undergraduate Student fellowship. Awarded by Spanish Science Ministry.  Jul-2004 œ Sept-2004 - CSIC Penultimate Year Undergraduate Student fellowship. Awarded by CSIC.  Jan-2004 œ Jun-2004 œ Pablo de Olavide University Penultimate Year Undergraduate Student fellowship. Awarded by University Pablo de Olavide.

Publications in ISI

1. Tamara Villaverde, Marcial Escudero, Santiago Martín-Bravo, Leo P. Bruederle, Modesto Luceño & Julian Starr. 2015 In Press. Direct long-distance dispersal best explains the bipolar disjunction of Carex artogena (Carex sect. Capituligerae, Cyperaceae). Journal of Biogeography, 000, 000-0000.

2. Marcial Escudero, Enrique Maguilla, João Loureiro, Mariana Castro, Silvia Castro & Modesto Luceño. 2015. Genome size stability despite high chromosome number variation in Carex gr. laevigata. American Journal of Botany , 102, 233-238. 3. Marcial Escudero, Deren A.R. Eaton, Marlene Hahn & Andrew Hipp. 2014. Genotyping-By- Sequencing as a tool to infer phylogeny and ancestral hybridization: A case study in Carex (Cyperaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 79, 359-367.

4. Marcial Escudero, Santiago Martin-Bravo, Itay Mayrose, Mario Fernández-Mazuecos, Omar Fiz- Palacios, Andrew Hipp, Manuel Pimentel, Pedro Jiménez-Mejías, Virginia Valcárcel & Modesto Luceño. In press. Karyotypic changes through dysploidy persist longer over evolutionary time than polyploid changes. PLOS ONE, 9, e58266.

5. Marcial Escudero & Andrew Hipp. 2013. Shifts in diversification rates and clade ages explain species species richness in higher level sedge taxa (Cyperaceae). American Journal of Botany, 100, 2403- 2411.

6. Marcial Escudero, Jaime Weber & Andrew Hipp. 2013. Species coherence in the face of karyotype diversification: The case of cytogenetically variable sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae). Annals of Botany, 112, 515-526.

7. Santiago Martin-Bravo, Marcial Escudero, Monica Miguez, Pedro Jiménez-Mejías & Modesto Luceño. 2013. Molecular and morphological evidence for a new species from South Africa: Carex rainbowii (Cyperaceae). South African Journal of Botany, 87, 85-91.

8. Marcial Escudero, Enrique Maguilla & Modesto Luceño. 2013. Selection by climatic regime and neutral evolutionary processes in holocentric chromosomes (Carex gr. laevigata: Cyperaceae): A microevolutionary approach. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 15, 118-129.

9. María Calviño-Cancela, Marcial Escudero, Javier Rodríguez-Pérez, Emilio Cano, Pablo Vargas, Guillermo Velo-Antón, Anna Traveset. 2012 (Published Online). The role of seed dispersal, pollination and historical effects on genetic patterns of an insular plant that has lost its only seed disperser. Journal of Biogeography, 39, 1996-2006.

10. Santiago Martín-Bravo, Marcial Escudero & Pedro Jiménez Mejías. 2012. Carex modesti, a new species from southern Tanzania. Blumea, 57, 143-146.

11. Marcial Escudero, Andrew L. Hipp, Thomas Hansen, Kjetil Voge and Modesto Luceño. 2012. Selection and inertia in the evolution of holocentric chromosomes in sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae). New Phytologist, 195, 237-247.

12. Marcial Escudero, Andrew L. Hipp, Marcia Waterway & Luis Valente. 2012. Diversification rates and chromosome evolution in the most diverse angiosperm genus of the temperate zone (Carex, Cyperaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63, 650-655.

13. Pedro Jiménez-Mejías, Marcial Escudero, Samuel Guerra-Cárdenas, Kare A. Lye & Modesto Luceño. 2011. Taxonomical delimitation and drivers of speciation in the Ibero - North African Carex sect. Phacocystis river - shore group (Cyperaceae). American Journal of Botany, 98, 1855-1867. 14. Marcial Escudero & Modesto Luceño. 2011. Taxonomic revision of the tropical African group of Carex sect. Spirostachyae subsect. Elatae (Cyperaceae). Anales del Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid, 68, 225-247.

15. Marcial Escudero, Virginia Valcárcel, Pablo Vargas & Modesto Luceño. 2010. Bipolar disjunctions in Carex: Long-distance dispersal, vicariance, or parallel Evolution? Flora: Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 205, 118-127.

16. Marcial Escudero, Pablo Vargas, Paul Arens, Joop Ouborg & Modesto Luceño. 2010. The East-West- North colonization history of the Mediterranean and Europe by the coastal plant Carex extensa (Cyperaceae). Molecular Ecology, 19, 352-370.

17. Andrew L. Hipp & Marcial Escudero. 2010. Maticce: Mapping transitions in continuous character evolution. Bioinformatics, 26, 132-133.

18. Marcial Escudero, Andrew L. Hipp & Modesto Luceño. 2010. Karyotype stability and predictors of chromosome number variation in sedges: A study in Carex section Spirostachyae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 57, 353-363.

19. Marcial Escudero, Virginia Valcárcel, Pablo Vargas & Modesto Luceño. 2009. Significance of ecological vicariance and long-distance dispersal in the diversification of Carex sect. Spirostachyae (Cyperaceae). American Journal of Botany, 96, 2100-2114.

20. Marcial Escudero & Modesto Luceño. 2009. Systematics and evolution of Carex sects. Spirostachyae and Elatae (Cyperaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution, 279, 163-189.

21. Modesto Luceño, Marcial Escudero & Félix Muñoz Garmendia. 2009. Typification of Carex helodes Link, Carex laevigata Sm. and Carex patula Link ex Schkuhr (Cyperaceae). Candollea, 64, 39-43.

22. Marcial Escudero, Virginia Valcárcel, Pablo Vargas & Modesto Luceño. 2008. Evolution in Carex sect. Spirostachyae (Cyperaceae): A molecular and cytogenetic approach. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 7, 271-291.

23. Marcial Escudero, Pablo Vargas, Virginia Valcárcel & Modesto Luceño. 2008. Strait of Gibraltar: an effective gene-glow barrier for wind-pollinated Carex helodes (Cyperaceae) as revealed by DNA sequences, AFLP, and cytogenetic variation. American Journal of Botany, 95, 745-755.

Books and book chapters

1. Modesto Luceño, Marcial Escudero & Mario González. In press. Ficha de síntesis de la especie Carex lainzii. Informe para la Consejería de Medio Ambiente - Junta de Castilla y León, 000, 000-000. 2. Modesto Luceño, Marcial Escudero, Enrique Maguilla & Samuel Guerra. In press. Propuesta de microrreserva: Flora de las praderas de Deschampsion mediae de Cuatro Claros (Fuentidueñas, Segovia). Informe para la Consejería de Medio Ambiente - Junta de Castilla y León, 000, 000-000.

3. Andrew L. Hipp, Marcial Escudero & Kyong-Sook Chung. 2013. Holocentric chromosomes. Encyclopedia of Life, 499-501.

4. Santiago Martín-Bravo & Marcial Escudero. 2012. Chapter 13: Biogeography of flowering plants: A case study in mignonettes (Resedaceae) and sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae). Global Advances in Biogeography (Stevens L., Ed.). Intech, 257-290.

5. Modesto Luceño & Marcial Escudero. 2008. Bulbostylis (Cyperaceae). Flora Iberica Vol. XVIII: Cyperaceae-Pontederiaceae, Jardín Botánico de Madrid, CSIC, 97-99.

6. Modesto Luceño & Marcial Escudero. 2008. Fimbristylis (Cyperaceae). Flora Iberica Vol. XVIII: Cyperaceae-Pontederiaceae, Jardín Botánico de Madrid, CSIC, 94-97.

7. Modesto Luceño & Marcial Escudero. 2008. Carex sect. Spirostachyae (Cyperaceae). Flora Iberica Vol. XVIII: Cyperaceae-Pontederiaceae, Jardín Botánico de Madrid, CSIC, 178-191.

8. Modesto Luceño, Pedro Jimenez, Marcial Escudero, Santiago Martín & Eduardo Narbona. 2005. Flora silvestre y ornamental del campus de la Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Dirección General de Educación Ambiental y Sostenibilidad, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla, 1- 415.

Other publications

1. Tamara Villaverde, Santiago Martin-Bravo, Marcial Escudero & Modesto Luceño. 2012. Extreme phylogeography in Carex (Cyperaceae). Informatore Botanico Italiano, 44, 58-61.

2. Pedro Jiménez-Mejías, Marcial Escudero & Santiago Martín-Bravo. 2010. Notas sobre neófitos en el curso urbano del río Guadalquivir en Sevilla. Lagascalia, 30, 472-481.

3. Pedro Jiménez-Mejías, Marcial Escudero, Antonio Jesus Chaparro & Modesto Luceño. 2007. Novedades corológicas en el género Carex. Acta Botánica Malacitana, 32, 305-31.

4. Modesto Luceño, Pedro Jiménez-Mejías, Marcial Escudero, Enrique Sánchez Gullón & Pedro Weickert. 2007. Nuevas citas de dos ciperáceas raras en Andalucía. Acta Botánica Malacitana, 32, 311-312.

5. Modesto Luceño, Marcial Escudero & Pedro Jiménez. 2007. Hallazgo de dos nuevas poblaciones sevillanas de Carex helodes Link: una especie declarada extinta de la flora española. Conservación Vegetal, 11, 11-12. 6. Modesto Luceño & Marcial Escudero. 2006. Carex helodes Link novedad para el continente africano. Acta Botánica Malacitana, 31, 209-210.

Oral presentations in conferences and seminar series 1. Carex scoparia , a Model for Understanding Chromosome Diversification and Evolution in Holocentric Organisms. Monocots V. 7-13 July 2013, New York, New York, USA. 2. Chromosome Evolution and Diversification in Flowering Plants, Focusing on Holocentric Organisms. Watson Seminar Series, Field Museum of Natural History. 6 March 2013, Chicago, Illinois, USA. 3. Chromosome evolution and its effects on the most diverse angiosperm genus of the temperate zone (Carex, Cyperaceae). American Society of Botany Congress. 7 œ 11 July 2012, Columbus, Ohio, USA. 4. Chromosome evolution and its effects on the most diverse angiosperm genus of the temperate zone (Carex, Cyperaceae). Herbarium Seminars at The Morton Arboretum. Spring 2012, Lisle, Illinois, USA. 5. Phylogeny, phylogeography, and chromosomal evolution in Carex section Spirostachyae and allied sections. XVIII International Botanical Congress. 23 œ 30 July 2011, Melbourne, Australia.

Congress contributions 2014 American Society of Botany (1); Modern Phylogenetic Comparative Methods (1) 2013 Monocots V (5) 2012 American Society of Botany (1); Tallgrass Prairie Restoration in the 21st Century (1) 2011 International Botanical Congress (5) 2010 Molecular Biology and Evolution Congress (1) 2008 Monocots IV (3) 2007 Botanical Society of Scotland Symposium (1) 2005 International Botanical Congress (1) 2004 IOPB Symposium (1)

Profesional memberships - American Society of Botany.

Other services - Reviewer for many scientific journals from 2008 to present (Molecular Ecology, Systematic Botany, Canadian Journal of Botany, Biologia Plantarum, Preslia, Folia Geobotanica, African Journal of Plant Sciences, Central European Journal of Biology, Nordic Journal of Botany, Caryologia, Plant Systematics and Evolution, Journal of Plant Research, South African Journal of Botany, International Journal of Plant Sciences and Plos One). - Grant reviewer for Czech Science Foundation.

STATEMENTS RESEARCH

My main research focus has been in Phylogeny, Systematics and Evolution of Flowering Plants with special focus in sedges (Cyperaceae family). Major achievement: My research has contributed to understand the patterns of biodiversity in flowering plants. From 2008 to present I am the lead author in a series of papers already published in prestigious journals: Organisms Diversity and Evolution, American Journal of Botany (x 5), Plant Systematics and Evolution, Flora: Morphology, Distribution, and Functional Ecology of Plants, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (x2), Molecular Ecology, New Phytologist, Perpectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, Annals of Botany and Plos One (see publication list for more details) that have demonstrate several drivers of differentiation and speciation in angiosperms. Specifically, I have demonstrate evidence for high species richness in genus Carex (ca. 2000 sps) as consequence of several mechanisms that promote differentiation and speciation: (i) isolation-by-distance, (ii) long-distance dispersal and vicariance, (iii) self-compatibility and high selfing, (iv) hybridization and (v) rapid chromosome evolution and selection.

Phylogenetics: I have perfomed phylogenetic studies at many different evolutionary levels, from population studies to phylogenies at family or order levels. As consequence, I have used many different molecular techniques (NGS, sequencing DNA, AFLP or microsatellites) depending on the evolutionary scale of the study. At present I am involved seversal projects of phylogenomics using lab methods like Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) or Restriction Site Associated (RAD) in combination with Illumina sequencing platform.

Chromosome evolution: This is one of the most peculiar aspects in my research since I study chromosome evolution in holocentric organisms using phylogenetic comparative methods. Holocentric chromosomes–chromosomes with diffuse rather than solitary, localized centromeres–have been reported from sedges and rushes (Cyperaceae and Juncaceae, which together form a clade) and five other angiosperm clades, as well as scattered clades in the algae, bryophytes, Rhizaria, nematodes, velvet worms, and arthropods. Diffuse centromeres allow rapid evolution of chromosome rearrangements via fission (agmatoploidy), fusion (simploidy), and translocations. Consequently, Carex exhibits a nearly continuous range of chromosome numbers (2n = 12 to 124) and substantial chromosome variation within many species. Diffuse centromere has the potential to reduce or eliminate the underdominance of chromosome rearrangements, allowing them to become fixed at a higher rate than in organisms with monocentric chromosomes. Holocentric chromosome evolution (i) promotes genetic differentiation by reducing gene flow and (ii) seems to be selected by the climate regime at micro and macroevolutionary scales. At present my colleagues and I are performing a study of linkage genetic groups in Carex using GBS and RAD markers in order to test the hypothesis of suppression of the recombination of locally adapting genes as consequence of rearrangements in holocentric chromosomes. In addition, I am also studying patterns of chromosome evolution by polyploidy and losses and gains of single chromosomes across all angiosperms in collaboration with many colleagues from many different institutions.

Biogeography and phylogeography: I have studied intensely biogeography of flowering plants using the last phylogenetic methods to estimate times of diversification and reconstruction of ancestral areas. Specifically, I have been focused in genus Carex. This genus has a special ability to colonize novel and far environments via long-distance dispersal. As result, many long-distance dispersal events have been accurately inferred. I have been one of the first to study plant colonization of Tristan d‘Acunha Archipelago or the origin of the bipolar disjunction in vascular plants. I have also conducted phylogeographical studies at species level, specifically, one sheds light about the role of the Strait of Gibraltar (sea barrier between northwestern Africa and southwestern Europe) and other reviews coastal plant phylogeography in the Mediterranean Basin. At present, I collaborate with Tamara Villaverde (Phd Student) and Enrique Maguilla (PhD student) in their studies on geographic disjunctions (bipolar, atlantic, etc.) in Carex.

Systematics and : My research includes studies of systematic and taxonomy. I have done the first phylogenies of several groups of angiosperms. I have also performed taxonomic revisions in the family Cyperaceae including nomenclature research or the publication several new species for the science. At present, I advise to Enrique Maguilla (PhD Student at Pablo de Olavide University) on his PhD study on Systematics and Evolution in Carex sect. Glareosae.

Computational Biology: I use R for most of my statitical and phylogenetic analyses. I am able to write functions and basic programming in R. I have participated in the development of the R package Maticce which was published in the prestigious journal Bioinformatics. At present I am developing my skills on R programing to improve my abilities for phylogenetic (including phylogenomic) analyses and I am starting to learn Python language.

Niche modelling: At present I am starting a new line of research on niche modelling. I am performing niche modelling studies in genus Carex (Cyperaceae) and in the section Phyteuma of genus Reseda (Resedaceae). This line of research aims to compare the real and potential current distribution, reconstruct past distribution and mode future distribution of the species. This new line of research will help to take important conservation decisions based on the predicted future of the species. TEACHING INTERESTS

As a Phd student I enjoying the opportunity of being Teaching Assistant in Botany and in Conservation of Natural Resources in Environmental Sciences degree at Pablo de Olavide University. As an undergraduate lab student I was also Teaching Assistant in Botany and in Vascular Flora of Mountains. From the academic year of 2013-2014 I have been teaching Taxonomy and Conservation in the MSc of Biodiversity and Conservation at Pablo de Olavide University. I have also teaching interests in other general subjects like Evolution or more specific ones like Phylogenetics, Phylogenetic Comparative Methods or R language. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to tutor or advice many undergraduate, MSc and PhD students, and I am willing to continue doing it.

THREE MOST REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

1. Marcial Escudero, Deren A.R. Eaton, Marlene Hahn & Andrew Hipp. 2014. Genotyping-By- Sequencing as a tool to infer phylogeny and ancestral hybridization: A case study in Carex (Cyperaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 79, 359-367.

2. Marcial Escudero, Andrew L. Hipp, Thomas Hansen, Kjetil Voge and Modesto Luceño. 2012. Selection and inertia in the evolution of holocentric chromosomes in sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae). New Phytologist, 195, 237-247.

3. Marcial Escudero, Pablo Vargas, Paul Arens, Joop Ouborg & Modesto Luceño. 2010. The East-West- North colonization history of the Mediterranean and Europe by the coastal plant Carex extensa (Cyperaceae). Molecular Ecology, 19, 352-370.