Martim Melo

I am interested in the processes generating diversity – from identifying the factors that drive population divergence to the evolution of reproductive isolation (speciation). My research has focused on the diversification of the bird fauna of Africa, and in particular in its oceanic and ecological islands – natural speciation centers that are amenable for the study of this complex process. The outputs of my research feed directly into my long-standing and active interest in conservation, by providing a better understanding of the diversity patterns within centers of endemism. I am currently assisting in the development of training programs in biodiversity hotspots – namely in the Gulf of Guinea and in Southern Africa, with a special focus on Angola.