Rubén Bernardo Madrid

First a person, then a researcher. I am from Spain, and I have a passion for being outdoors, especially hiking and mountain biking, always complemented by good food and wine/beer. I believe that most day-to-day problems can be addressed with a simple philosophy: “Silly problems, quick solutions.” I love new experiences guided by the motto “Why not?” So this adventure through the Icelab and Sweden is right up my alley.

As a researcher, I am an ecologist with an interest in both theoretical and applied aspects of biodiversity. I completed my PhD and first postdocs at the Doñana Biological Station-CSIC (Spain), focusing on general patterns in population dynamics, and human-wildlife conflicts. Currently, I am developing my own research line at the intersection of biogeography, macroecology, species assemblage, evolutionary biology, functional biology, and physics.

My current core projects are three:
(1) Understanding and conserving biodiversity across biogeographical regions. These regions are classifications of the Earth’s surface based on the presence of distinct assemblages of biota, whose species have faced unique historical and eco-evolutionary pressures. In this project, I am observing a general pattern or new biogeographical rule on the organization of biodiversity across the tree of life and space, indicating that general processes may be more relevant than the idiosyncrasies of geographical areas and life forms.

(2) Understanding how species are assembled and identifying the underlying mechanisms. Using birds as a case study, I have observed that the proportion of species belonging to distinct trophic guilds is constant across the Earth. I am evaluating if diet-related constraints are leading to universal structures in species assemblages, which could suggest the existence of energetic and ecological rules shaping life on Earth.
(3) Evaluating the ancestral signals of evolution on the current morphology and geographical distribution of species. My aim is to determine which speciation events from the past have left a significant mark on our current biodiversity.

Currently, I am co-supervising a PhD student researching human-bear conflicts in South America (Roxana Andrea Rojas Vera Pinto; University of Reading).