Rubim Manuel Almeida da Silva

Rubim Manuel Almeida da Silva is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (FCUP), and a researcher at CIBIO-InBIO. He holds a PhD in Taxonomy and Ecology from FCUP and specializes in the evolution and phylogeny of monocots, particularly Hyacinthaceae.

His teaching responsibilities include botany, systematics, ecology, and Iberian habitat diversity at both undergraduate and master’s levels. He currently leads the MSc in Ecology, Environment and Territory at FCUP and supervises multiple PhD and post-doctoral researchers.

• Researcher at CIBIO-InBIO
• Member of research groups BEPE and ECOCHANGE
• Curator of the Porto Herbarium (PO)
• Technical Team member, Botanical Garden of UTAD
• Portuguese Coordinator, Atlas Flora Europaea (University of Helsinki)
• Advisor, Flora Ibérica Project (CSIC, Spain)

His research spans Systematics, Evolution, Taxonomy, Molecular Taxonomy, Functional Ecology, Archaeobotany, Forensic Botany, and Nature Photography. He has published extensively on plant diversity, species distribution modeling, and archaeobotanical studies in Iberia. His recent publications show strong trends in integrating remote sensing and ecological modeling for conservation, as well as molecular and morphological systematics of plant groups.

Notable scientific contributions include:

• Genetic diversity studies of Silene scabriflora using cpSSR and ISSR markers
• Species distribution modeling of Iberian oaks combining climate and satellite data
• Archaeobotanical analysis of Roman and pre-Roman agricultural practices in Iberia
• Studies on bryophyte communities as ecological indicators

Rubim Almeida has collaborated with institutions such as the Natural History Museum (UK), University of Valencia (Spain), and Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid (Spain). He has secured research contracts and supervises a growing cohort of graduate students, contributing significantly to biodiversity research and conservation in the Iberian Peninsula.

He is actively involved in international botanical initiatives and contributes to major flora projects, demonstrating strong leadership in both academic and applied botanical sciences.