Lab Members: Ester Gaya

Ester Gaya

Education 

Ph.D. Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 2006.

Ms.Sc. Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 2000.

B. Sc., Biology, Univ. Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 1997.

Research Interests 

Our ignorance of biological diversity is not uniform. Some taxa are quite well understood, while we know very little about some of the most diverse and interesting groups on earth. Fungi fall squarely within the latter category. For example, there are upwards of 13,500 known species of lichen-forming fungi alone, playing key roles in many ecosystems. My research interests are inspired by this challenge, focusing on biodiversity studies, taxonomy and systematics, evolution, and phylogenetic methods that help us to better understand this group of fungi. In my systematic work specifically, I integrate traditional revisionary methods and molecular tools to study the evolution of the order Teloschistales.

Scholarships and Grants 

Caja Madrid Foundation: Becas de Postgrado en el extranjero. Postdoctoral Scholarship, 2009-2011

Fulbright/MEC Visiting Scholar Program: Postdoctoral Scholarship. Commission for Cultural, Educational and Scientific Exchange between the United States of America and Spain (Fulbright Program), Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) and Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), 2006-2008

University of Barcelona, Spain. Pre-doc Fellowship, 1999-2003

University of Barcelona, Spain. Visiting Scientist Scholarship at Duke University (Durham, North Carolina, USA), 2002

Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Visiting Scientist Scholarship at the Field Museum of Natural History, 2001

University of Barcelona, Spain. Visiting Scientist Scholarship at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2001

Ministry of Science and Education – MEC, Spain. Assistant research scholarship. Department of Plant Biology. University of Barcelona, 1996-1997

Awards 

Mycological Society of America. Travel Award to attend the 2011 FESIN workshop in Fairbanks, AK (USA), 2011

University of Barcelona, Spain. Travel Award to attend the Fifth Congress of the IAL (Tartu, Estonia), 2004

University of Barcelona, Spain. Travel Award to attend the International Mycological Congress VII (Oslo, Norway), 2002

University of Barcelona, Spain. Travel Award to attend the XIII Simposio de B—tanica Criptog‡mica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, 1999

Mineralogy Students Award. Instituci— Catalana d«Hist˜ria Natural: Study of the relation between ore minerals, their alteration products and lichenic communities, 1995

Ph.D. Students 

Samantha Fernandez Brime (2007-present). Co-supervision with Dr. Xavier Llimona i Pags of the Doctoral Thesis: Estudi de la Flora i la Vegetaci— de les comunitats sax’coles i terr’coles del Parc Natural del Cap de Creus.

PUBLICATIONS

Journal Articles 

Gaya, E.; Hognabba, F.; Holguin, A.; Molnar, K.; Fernandez-Brime, S.; Stenroos, S.; Arup, U.; Sochting, U.; Van den Boom, P.; Lucking, R.; Sipman, H. & Lutzoni, F. 2011. Implementing a cumulative supermatrix approach for a comprehensive phylogenetic study of the Teloschistales (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota). Submitted to Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In Review.

Fernandez-Brime, S.; Llimona, X.; Molnar, K.; Stenroos, S.; Hognabba, F.; Bjork, C.; Lutzoni, F. & Gaya, E. 2011. Expansion of the Stictidaceae by the addition of the saxicolous lichen-forming genus Ingvariella. Mycologia 103(4): 755-63.

Lumbsch, H. T.; Ahti, T.; Altermann, S.; Amo De Paz, G.; Aptroot, A.; Arup, U.; Barcenas Pe–a, A.; Bawingan, P. A.; Benatti, M. N.; Betancourt, L.; Bjšrk, C. R.; Boonpragob, K.; Brand, M.; Bungartz, F.; C‡ceres, M. E. S.; Candan, M, Chaves, J. L.; Clerc, P.; Common, R.; Coppins, B. J.; Crespo, A.; Dal-Forno, M.; Divakar, P. K.; Duya, M. V.; Elix, J. A.; Elvebakk, A.; Fankhauser, J. D.; Farkas, E.; Itat’ Ferraro, L.; Fischer, E.; Galloway, D. J.; Gaya, E.; Giralt, M.; Goward, T.; Grube, M.; Hafellner, J.; Hern‡ndez M.; J. E.; Herrera Campos, M. A.; Kalb, K.; KŠrnefelt, I.; Kantvilas, G.; Killmann, D.; Kirika, P.; Knudsen, K.; Komposch, H.; Kondratyuk, S.; Lawrey, J. D.; Mangold, A.; Marcelli, M. P.; Mccune, B.; Ines Messuti, M.; Michlig, A.; Miranda Gonz‡lez, R.; Moncada, B.; Naikatini, A.; Nelsen, M. P.; ¯vstedal, D. O.; Palice, Z.; Papong, K.; Parnmen, S.; PŽrez-Ortega, S.; Printzen, C.; Rico, V. J.; Rivas Plata, E.; Robayo, J.; Rosabal, D.; Ruprecht, U.; Salazar Allen, N.; Sancho, L.; Santos De Jesus, L.; Santos Vieira, T.; Schultz, M.; Seaward, M. R. D.; SŽrusiaux, E.; Schmitt, I.; Sipman, H. J. M.; Sohrabi, M.; S¿chting, U.; Zeuthen S¿gaard, M.; Sparrius, L. B.; Spielmann, A.; Spribille, T.; Sutjaritturakan, J.; Thammathaworn, A.; Thell, A.; Thor, G.; ThŸs, H.; Timdal, E.; Truong, C.; TŸrk, R.; Uma–a Tenorio, L.; Upreti, D. K.; Van Den Boom, P.; Vivas Rebuelta, M.; Wedin, M.; Will-Wolf, S.; Wirth, V.; Wirtz, N.; Yahr, R.; Yeshitela, K.; Ziemmeck, F.; Wheeler, T. & R. Lucking. 2011. One hundred new species of lichenized fungi: a signature of undiscovered global diversity. Phytotaxa 18: 1-127.

Gaya, E.; Redelings, B.D.; Navarro-Rosines, P.; Llimona, X; De Caceres, M. & Lutzoni, F. 2011. Align, or not to align? Resolving species complexes within the Caloplaca saxicola group as a case study. Mycologia 103(2): 361-378.

Gaya, E. 2009. Taxonomical revision on the Caloplaca saxicola group (Teloschistaceae, lichen-forming Ascomycota). Bibliotheca Lichenologica 101: 1-191.

Gaya, E.; Navarro-Rosines, P.; Llimona, X.; Hladun N. & Lutzoni, F. 2008. Phylogenetic reassessment of the Teloschistaceae (lichen-forming Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes). Mycological Research 112(5): 528-547.

Gaya, E. & Navarro-Rosines, P. 2008. Sobre la presencia de Polycoccum versisporum (hongos liquen’colas, Dacampiaceae) en los Pirineos catalanes y la identificaci—n de su hospedante. Revista Catalana de Micologia 30: 71-78.

Gaya, E.; Lutzoni, F.; Zoller, S. & Navarro-Rosines, P. 2003. Phylogenetic study of Fulgensia and allied Caloplaca and Xanthoria species (Telochistaceae, lichen-forming Ascomycetes). American Journal of Botany 90: 1095-1103.

Gaya, E. & PŽrez, A. 2002. Primera citaci— de Teloschistes lacunosus (Rupr.) Savicz. al Pa’s Valenciˆ. Butllet’ de la Instituci— Catalana d’Hist˜ria Natural 70: 48-51.

Navarro-RosinŽs, P.; Gaya, E. & Nladun, N.L. 2001. Caloplaca nashii sp. nov. (Teloschistaceae, lichenes), a North-American species of the C. lactea-group growing in caliche. Mycotaxon 79: 29-41.

Navarro-RosinŽs, P.; Gaya, E. & Roux, C. 2000. Caloplaca calcitrapa sp. nov. (Teloschistaceae) un nuevo liquen sax’colo-calc’cola mediterr‡neo. Bull. Soc. linn. Provence 51: 145-152.

Long‡n, A.; Gaya, E. & Gomez-Bolea, A. 1999. Post-fire colonization of a mediterranean forest stand by epiphytic lichens. Lichenologist 31 (4): 389-395.

Martin, MP. and Gaya, E. 1998. Catˆleg d«especies. V Jornades micologiques de la C.E.M.M. a Calella (Maresme, Catalunya) i arees properes. Butllet’ de la Societat Catalana de Micologia 21: 7-26.

Mart’nez, J.; Gaya, E.; Canet, C.; Guardia, M. & Casanoves, N. 1996. Study of the relation between ore minerals, their alteration products and lichenic communities. Butllet’ de la Instituci— Catalana d’Hist˜ria Natural 64: 21-35.

Book chapters 

Gomez-Bolea, A.; Barbero, M.; Hladun, N.L.; Navarro-Rosines, P.; Giralt, M.; Gaya, E.; Azuaga, T. 2000. L’quens i fongs liqunicoles de la Reserva Integral de Muntany— de Llacs (Parc Nacional d’AigŸestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, Pirineus, Espanya). In: La investigaci— al Parc Nacional d’AigŸestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici. V Jornades sobre la Recerca al Parc Nacional d’AigŸestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici: 73-80. Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Medi Ambient.

Longan, A.; Gaya, E.; Gomez-Bolea, A. 2000. Recolonitzaci— post-incendi per l’quens ep’fits d«una parcelála al Parc Natural de St. Lloren del Munt i lÕObac. In: IV Trobada d«estudiosos de St. Lloren del Munt i l«Obac. Monografies 29. Diputaci— de Barcelona.

Published Abstracts 

Gaya E.; Holguin, A.; Ramirez-Mejia M. & Lutzoni, F. 2011. Resolving phylogenetic relationships within the lichen-forming order Teloschistales and the evolutionary history of Teloschistaceae with a seven-locus supermatrix. Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting. Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. Book of Abstracts.

Kirchner, T.; Simon, D.M.; Miadlikowska, J.; Gaya, E. & Lutzoni, F. 2011. Characterization of rRNA introns in fungi. Nebraska Academy of Sciences meeting. Lincoln, NE.

Gaya E.; Ball, B.; Holguin, A.; Villagra, S. & Lutzoni, F. 2010. Revisiting The classification of Teloschistales (Ascomycota, Lichen-Forming Fungi) and its evolution based on multiple and new phylogenetic loci. International Mycological Congress IX (IMC9) Ð The Biology of Fungi. Edinburgh (UK). Book of Abstracts.

Fernandez-Brime, S.; Gaya, E.; Lutzoni, F. & Llimona, X. 2009. A new phylogeny of the genus Diploschistes inferred from molecular data. XVII Symposium of Cryptogamic Botany. Tomar, Portugal. Book of Abstracts p. 127.

Lutzoni, F.; Miadlikowska, J.; UÕRen, J.; Molnar, K.; Gaya, E. & Arnold, A.E. 2009. The lichen microbiome and the evolution of fungi. Botany & Mycology Meeting. Snowbird, Utah, USA. Book of Abstracts p. 26.

Arnold, A.E.; Miadlikowska, J.; UÕRen, J.; Del Olmo-Ruiz, M.; Hoffman, M.T.; Gaya, E.; Lutzoni, F. 2009. Evolutionary perspectives and the origin of endophytic fungi. Botany & Mycology Meeting. Snowbird, Utah, USA. Book of Abstracts p 15.

Gaya, E.; Ball, B.; Robbertse, B.; Spatafora, J. & Luzoni, F. 2008. Selecting the next generation of genes for phylogenetic studies on lichen-forming fungi; Teloschistales as a case study. Sixth Congress of the International Association for Lichenology. Asilomar, California, USA. Book of Abstracts p 21.

Gaya, E.; Ball, B.; Lutzoni, F. 2008. Resolving deep internodes in the Teloschistales with a multi-gene approach. Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting. State College, Pennsylvania, USA. Book of Abstracts.

Gaya, E.; Llimona, X.; Navarro-Rosines, P.; Lutzoni, F. 2007. The lobate Caloplaca: phylogeny and taxonomy of a problematic species complex within the Teloschistaceae (Ascomycota). Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Book of Abstracts p. 68.

Gaya, E.; Lutzoni, F.; Llimona, X.; Navarro-Rosines, P. 2004. The lobed Caloplaca, phylogeny and taxonomy of a problematic species complex within the Teloschistaceae. Fifth Congress of the International Association for Lichenology. Tartu, Estonia. Book of Abstracts p. 15.

Gaya, E.; Llimona, X.; Hladun, N.; Navarro-Rosines, P. 2003. Estudio molecular y morfol—gico del grupo de Caloplaca saxicola. XIV Simposio de Bot‡nica Criptog‡mica. Murcia, Spain. Book of Abstracts p. 90.

Gaya, E.; Navarro-Rosines, P.; Lutzoni, F.; Hladun, N.L. 2002. Molecular study of the Caloplaca saxicola group on the background of morphological taxa. International Mycological Congress VII. Oslo, Norway. Book of Abstracts p. 202.

Gaya, E.; Navarro-Rosines; P.; Roux, C. & Llimona, X. 2000. Caloplaca biatorinoides (Clauz. et C. Roux) Gaya, Nav.-Ros. et C. Roux comb. nov. an overlooked taxon of the group of C. saxicola. The Fourth Congress of the International Association for Lichenology. Barcelona, Spain. Book of Abstracts p. 23.

Gaya, E.; Navarro-Rosines, P.; Roux, C. & Llimona, X. 1999. Primera aproximaci—n a la diferenciaci—n morfol—gica de los taxones de los grupos Caloplaca saxicola y C. biatorina. XIII Simposio de Bot‡nica Criptog‡mica. Madrid, Spain. Book of Abstracts p. 116.

Longan, A.; Gaya, E. & Gomez-Bolea, A. 1997. Recolonitzaci— post-incendi per l’quens ep’fits d«una parcelála, en el Parc Natural de St. Lloren del Munt. IV Jornades d«estudiosos de St. Lloren del Munt i Serra de l«Obac St. Lloren del Munt, Spain. Book of Abstracts p. 163.