It is a pleasure to announce the second edition of Mértola Evolution Conferences (MECs), which will occur in the Spring at the beautiful historical town of Mértola, Southern Portugal.
Mértola Conferences aim to bring researchers and students from all over the world to discuss cutting-edge studies in biology focusing on evolution (each year a specific topic), fostering new ideas and collaborations. Mértola Conferences are promoted by EBM – Biological Station of Mértola, in collaboration with the Faculty of Sciences and CIBIO-BIOPOLIS from the University of Porto, and other national and international institutions.
Mértola is located in the Southeast Alentejo region of Portugal, near the Spanish border, crossed by the Guadiana River and in the center of the Natural Park of Guadiana Valley. It is a biodiversity hotspot - a prime Mediterranean ecosystem. The antiquity of Mértola is attested by the many archaeological remains that prove the continuous human occupation of this territory. The first traces of human presence date back to the Neolithic period, five thousand years ago, with different civilizations, like Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians represented. More information here.
The MEC 2026 edition, entitled "Natural Selection in the Wild”, is focused on research on adaptation, where we revisit the title of the influential book by John Endler published in 1986 under
Among other participants, MEC 2026 is pleased to announce the following prominent speakers in evolutionary biology:
Rosemary Gillespie (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
Jeremy Searle (Cornell University, USA)
Matthew P. Hare (Cornell University, USA)
Silvia Matesanz García (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain)
Jose Melo-Ferreira (University of Porto, Portugal)
Sofia Gabriel (CE3C, FCUL, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
See you in Mértola !!!
PROGRAM
DAY 1, Friday 17 April
Chair: Paulo C Alves
14:00-14:30 – Opening Ceremony
14:30-15:30 – PLENARY: Rosemary Gillespie - "From Colonizer to Endemic: Evolution of Island Communities Under Siege”
15:30-16:00 – Coffee Break
16:00-16:45 – PLENARY: Jeremy Searle - "Climate and climate change and its selective impact: a case study”
16:45-17:05 – Contributed Talk 1: Cheng Ma - "On the origin of Baltic herring by means of natural selection”
17:30-19:30 – Visit to Mértola historical town, including Castle and Archaeological Camp
FREE TIME FOR DINNER
DAY 2, Saturday 18 April
Chair: Rui Faria
09:30-10:30 – PLENARY: Silvia Matesanz García -"Adaptive evolution and phenotypic plasticity on Mediterranean gypsum endemics: insights into climate change response”
10:30-10:55 – Contributed Talk 2: Joel M. Alves – "Natural selection favours ginger rabbits in the red dunes of the Australian desert”
10:55-11:15 – Coffee Break
11:15-12:15 – PLENARY: José Melo-Ferreira - "Natural selection for seasonal camouflage in hares and weasels”
12:15-14:00 – FREE TIME FOR LUNCH
Chair: Jeremy Searle
14:00-14:45 - PLENARY: Matthew Hare - "Genomic footprints of within-generation selection due to acute stress at an oysters' range edge”
14:45-15:05 – Contributed Talk 3: Menno de Jong – "Are outlier loci truly under selection? Insights from a SNP data meta-analysis”
15:05-15.25 – Contributed Talk 4: Lars Poorthuis – "A statistical proposal on how to study the environmental causes of natural selection”
15:25-15.45 – Contributed Talk 5: Fredric Janzen – "Mutant turtles: heat waves induce deleterious shell phenotypes”
15:45-16:15 – Coffee Break
16:15-17:00 – PLENARY: Sofia Gabriel - "Genetically mediated rodenticide resistance in pest mice and rats impacts on wildlife predators”
17:00-17:20 – Contributed Talk 6: Abosede Olarewaju – "Genome-wide association of host susceptibility to helminth and blood pathogens in spatially structured wild Rodent populations”
17:20-17:40 – Contributed Talk 7: Lurdes Gomes – "Same but different: latitudinal variation in worm pipefish phenotype has no clear genomic signature”
17:40 – Closing
18:30-19:30 – Visit to the EBM – Biological Station of Mértola
19:30 – Conference Dinner at EBM – Biological Station of Mértola
DAY 3, Sunday 19 April
Birdwatching excursion – all day, details to be announced (LIMITED, need pre-registration for defining transportation)
ORGANIZATION
Jeremy Searle, Cornell University, FCUP & EBM
INSTITUTIONS
EBM - Estação Biológica de Mértola
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto
CIBIO-BIOPOLIS
Câmara Municipal de Mértola
REGISTRATION & ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Registration is open to all participants, whether you wish to attend only or also submit an abstract for consideration.
Registration Here
How to Participate?
Attend Only – Register to join the meeting, engage in discussions, and network with peers.
Attend & Submit an Abstract (Optional) – If you wish to present your research, you may submit an abstract for consideration.
Abstract Submission (Optional)
New Deadline: March 15, 2026
Selection: 8 abstracts will be chosen for a short talk (12 min + 3 min discussion).
Registration Requirement:
If you submit an abstract, you have two options:
- Register immediately when submitting your abstract.
- Wait for acceptance – If you prefer, you can submit your abstract first and only register if it is accepted for presentation.
Registration
Deadline: March 19, 2026
Limited places available!
Registration is subject to availability and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
We encourage you to register as soon as possible to secure your place.
New abstract submission deadline: 15 March 2026
Registration Deadline: 19 March 2026 (or until full capacity is reached)
Fees
Participation is free for BIODIV students (PhD) with a limited number of places available.
60€ (other students and Biopolis non-students) | 120€ (other participants). Payment will be made to Associação BIOPOLIS - VAT No. 516033727.
Registration fees do not include accommodation nor meals.
For any questions, please contact:
Scientific inquiries: ruifaria@cibio.up.pt
Organization:
With the collaboration of:
