Marine ecosystems exhibit high biodiversity. How did this diversity originate, and how has it been maintained until today? Although numerous theories in evolutionary ecology have been proposed, many aspects of these processes remain unresolved. By integrating fieldwork, rearing experiments, statistical modelling, and ecological genomics, we aim to elucidate the fundamental questions in biodiversity science.

One of the target species of our research is Lunella correensis and Pseudocladophora conchopheria. The gastropod L. correensis inhabits rocky intertidal zones (A), while the green alga P. conchopheria grows by covering its shell (B, C). We focus on the fact that P. conchopheria attaches only to the shells of intertidal gastropods and study their symbiotic interactions and coevolution.

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