About IIM

The Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC) is one of the main marine research centers in the Iberian Peninsula. Looking at the Atlantic from Vigo, a city with a strong connection with the sea, the IIM-CSIC faces the challenge of increasing our knowledge about the ocean, from its physical characteristics to the food we take from it and the processes that bind the whole system together.

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Research

Research is at the core of the Institute of Marine Research's work. Working along 3 Core Research Themes, which intertwine and connect to each other, the researchers and technicians at the IIM-CSIC look for answers within 9 different research lines.

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Innovation

While our research provides us with new knowledge about our sea and shores, at the Institute of Marine Research we are committed to go a step further, creating new collaborations with the industry and other economic activities, be they already 'established' industries, such as fisheries or aquaculture, or 'emerging' ones, such as ocean observation.

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Society

Science is not complete until it is shared with society. As a public research institution, the IIM understands that its commitment is with society, fostering a two-way relationship with its surrounding community and an open perspective on science.

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Work & Study

Marine scientists, lab technicians, biologists, chemists and engineers, but also economists, lawyers or communicators (both working and in training) contribute to the interdisciplinary nature of our center. With more than 200 employees, the IIM-CSIC is a large community of people who work together for the sake of science, knowledge and sustainability.

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News & Events

Do you want to be aware of the latest at the IIM? The Institute has a whole team involved in communication & outreach, sharing all news that arise and organizing events to reach all sectors of society: from other peers working in science to children in schools or our neighbors from Vigo.

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Imagen de perfil

David
Villegas
Ríos

PostDoc Researcher
Research groups
Services
Email
dvillegas@iim.csic.es
Telephone
986 23 19 30 ext. 438586
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5660-5322 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David-Villegas-Rios

Short bio

I’m a marine biologist curious about animal behaviour and biodiversity. My research focuses on understanding how animal behaviour mediates ecological and evolutionary processes in wild marine populations, through three research lines: 1. Individual variation in behaviour and conservation: most of my research in the last years has focused on understanding the differences in life-history and behavioural traits among individuals of a population. For instance, I have investigated the life-history differences between colour morphs in the ballan wrasse, Labrus bergylta. This is a very interesting case study, as in part of the distribution area of the species, plain and spotted individuals live in sympatry but display strikingly different reproductive and growth strategies. I have been also interested in differences in behaviour of fish in the wild. Why do some individuals consistently move more than others? I have been investigating this aspects in a Norwegian fjord where many individuals of cod, pollach and seatrout have been tracked for years now. 2. Marine reserves science: marine reserves are places where fishing is regulated or forbidden (non-take areas), so they represent islands where individuals are subject to reduced or no fishing mortality. Intuitively, individuals living inside marine reserves will experience increased fitness as compared to individuals living outside them. I’m interested in understanding how animal behaviour influences protection: do individuals or species that move more get less protection? Can we use information on the spatial ecology to improve the design of marine reserves?. I’m also interested in how protection influences animal behaviour through selection and evolutionary processes. Can marine reserves increase the fitness of lazy individuals?. 3. Marine biodiversity and speciation: I’m curious about biodiversity, and how species emerge in the ocean, where few absolute barriers exist. Using the ballan wrasse case study, I’m investigating the role of body colour in sympatric speciation processes. I combine genomics with field observations to understand if the two morphotypes mate assortatively and what is the genetic footprint. Do they represent two incipient species?

Related research lines

Related projects