Botany

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Trinity College
Dublin 2
Ireland

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zoobot@tcd.ie Gaeilge
Dr. María Elena Varela Álvarez

Dr. María Elena Varela Álvarez

Teaching Fellow, Botany

Dr. Elena Varela-Álvarez 

Teaching Fellow 

varelalm@tcd.ie 

 

Research Interests and Biography 

I am a phycologist fascinated by the enormous biodiversity within the algal group. I have an interest in all the scientific aspects that can help to understand the morphological complexity, genetic diversity and evolutionary patterns of these amazing species. My research focuses on studying seaweed biodiversity, algal taxonomy and genetic diversity. I employ traditional and contemporary methods (genetic and genomic approaches in combination with ecological and cytogenetics methods) to investigate their genetic diversity, taxonomy, biogeography and evolutionary origins. Moreover, I am studying algal species called “Sea-Vegetables” (macroalgal species that are harvested or cultivated in the Sea for commercial purposes). More recently, I have become interested in Historical Algal Collections stored in Museums and Universities, showing the pioneering work of earlier algal taxonomists. 

 

My main topics of research are: 

  • Biogeography, Genetic diversity, population genetics, organelle genomics, molecular markers development 
  • Seaweed taxonomy, Systematics, Species list, DNA barcoding 
  • Red algal biology, algal chimerism, algal cytogenetics, polyploidy,  
  • Algal morphological and life-cycles complexity, Algal reproductive biology and ecology 
  • Algal chemical characterization, Seaweed aquaculture, Sea-vegetables 
  • Historical Algal Collections 

 

Originally from Spain, soon after I finished my university studies at the University of Las Palmas (BS Marine Science), Spain, I began my research career at the University of Galway, Ireland, while conducting postgraduate research on marine phycology for my PhD (PhD Marine Biology).  I have performed several postdocs mainly in Portugal (CCMAR, University of Algarve), but also in Spain (University of Las Palmas) and Ireland (University of Galway) and several scientific stays overseas, in USA (SREL, University of Georgia), Spain (UB, University of Barcelona), The Netherlands (IBED, UvA), Portugal (University of Coimbra) and Belgium (Meisse Botanical Garden); and specialised courses (e.g. MBL, Woods Hole, MS, USA  among others). To support my research, I have been able to obtain funding from several funding agencies across different countries, including a European Marie Curie Fellowship, and Postdoctoral fellowships from National Science Foundation Agencies in Portugal (FCT) and Spain (MECD). Moreover, I won funding for two FCT Research projects as PI at National Calls in Portugal. I have recently (from Feb 2025) joined Trinity College Dublin as a Teaching Fellow at the School of Botany.  

 

Publications at SCI Indexed Journal   

21. Varela-Álvarez E, Michael D. Guiry & Ester Serrão. (2023) A taxonomic assessment of Pyropia hiemalis (Kylin) Varela-Álvarez, Guiry & Serrão, comb. nov. (Bangiaceae, Bangiophyceae). Cryptogamie algology, 44, 5, 101-109.

20. Varela-Álvarez E, Meirmans PG, Guiry MD, & Serrão EA. (2022) Biogeographic Population Structure of Chimeric Blades of Porphyra in the Northeast Atlantic Reveals Southern Rich Gene Pools Introgression and Cryptic Plasticity. Frontiers in Plant Sciences 424. 

19. Olivé I, Varela-Álvarez E, Silva J, Serrão E, & R Santos. (2021) Physiological potential of the chlorophyte Caulerpa prolifera for proliferation across Mediterranean-Atlantic basin in a warmer ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 668, 73-84.

18. Varela-Álvarez E, João Loureiro, Patrick G. Meirmans, Mariana Castro & Ester A. Serrão. (2021) Genomes vary in size and spatial patterns within chimeric blades of Porphyra spp. Frontiers in marine science, 8, 227.

17. Bermejo R, Macías M, Sánchez-García F, Love R, Varela-Álvarez E, & I Hernández. (2020). Influence of irradiance, dissolved nutrients and salinity in the colour and nutritional characteristics of Gracilariopsis longissima (Rhodophyta). Algal Research, 52; 102121.

16. Varela-Álvarez E, Tobin P, Guihéneuf F, FitzGerald R & Dagmar B. Stengel. (2019). Phycobiliproteins, nitrogenous compounds and fatty acid contents in field-collected and cultured gametophytes of Porphyra dioica, a red sea-vegetable. Journal of applied phycology 31, 3849–3860. 

15. Zubia, M, SGA Draisma, KL Morrissey, Varela-Álvarez E, & O De Clerck. (2019). Concise review of the genus Caulerpa J.V. Lamouroux.  Journal of Applied Phycology, 1-17.

14. Varela-Álvarez E, Loureiro J, Paulino C & Ester A. Serrão. (2018). Polyploid lineages in the Porphyra genus. Scientific Reports 8. Article number: 8696. 

13. Varela-Álvarez E, Balau AC, Paulino C, Berecibar E, Gareth Pearson & Ester A. Serrão.  (2018). Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for the red alga Porphyra umbilicalis. Plant Genetic Resources. 1 – 4.  

12. Chefaoui RM & E Varela-Álvarez (2018). Niche conservatism and spread of seaweed invasive lineages with different residence time in the Mediterranean Sea. Biological invasions. 20(2): 423-435. 

11. Varela-Álvarez E, Paulino C & Ester A. Serrão. (2017). Development and characterization of twelve microsatellite markers for Porphyra linearis Greville. Genetica. 145, 1, 127-130. 

10. Varela-Álvarez E, Balau AC, Marbà N, Afonso-Carrillo J, Duarte C.M. & Ester A. Serrão. (2015) Genetic diversity and biogeographical patterns of Caulerpa prolifera across the Mediterranean and Mediterranean/Atlantic transition zone. Marine Biology, 162, 3: 557-569. 

9. Cunha A, Varela-Álvarez E, Paulo D, Sousa I & Ester A. Serrão. (2013) The rediscovery of Caulerpa prolifera in Ria Formosa, Portugal, 60 years after the previous record. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 54: 359-364.

8. Varela-Álvarez E, Gómez Garreta A, Rull Lluch J, Salvador Soler N, Serrão EA, & MAR Siguán. (2012). Mediterranean species of Caulerpa are polyploid with smaller genomes in the invasive ones. PloS ONE, 7(10): e47728.

7. Varela-Álvarez E, Glenn TC, Serrão EA, Duarte CM, Martínez-Daranas B, Valero M, & N Marbá. (2011). Dinucleotide microsatellite markers in the genus Caulerpa. Journal of Applied Phycology, 23: 715-719. 

6. Varela-Álvarez E, Rindi F, Cavas L, Serrao EA, Duarte CM, & N Marbá (2011) Molecular identification of  the tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea from Turkey. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 52: 227-232.

5. Alberto F, Whitmer A, Coelho A, Zippay M, Varela-Álvarez E, Raimondi PT, Reed D, & Ester A. Serrão. (2009) Microsatellite markers for the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera. Conservation Genetics. 10:1915-1917

4. Varela-Álvarez E, Stengel DB & MD Guiry (2007). Seasonal growth and phenotypic variation in Porphyra linearis (Rhodophyta) populations on the west coast of Ireland. Journal of Phycology (43) 1: 90-100.

3. Varela-Álvarez E, Andreakis N, Lago-Lestón A, Pearson GA, Serrao EA, Procaccini G, Duarte CM, & N Marba. (2006) Genomic DNA isolation in green and brown algae Caulerpales and Fucales) for microsatellite library construction. Journal of Phycology. (42) 3: 741-745.

2. Varela-Álvarez E, Stengel D, Rindi F & MD Guiry (2005) Alternation of nuclear phases and chromosome numbers in Porphyra linearis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) from western Ireland and Maine, USA. Phycologia 44 (1), 61-65.

1. Varela-Álvarez E, Stengel D & MD Guiry. (2004) Conchocelis growth and conchospore production of Porphyra linearis Greville, using image analysis. Phycologia. 43, 3, 282-287