Phytoplankton project(s)
Climate change and habitat fragmentation are the largest threats to ecosystem globally. However, not all species are expected to respond equally, leading to widespread changes in community composition and ecosystem functioning. Working with José Montoya at the Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, I aim at better understanding the role of climatic warming and habitat fragmentaiton on biodiversity, community dynamics and ecosystem functioning in multitrophic freshwater communities. We use the Aquatron, an experimental system composed of connected ponds in which temperature can be manimulated, to understand how phytoplankton and zooplankton communities respond to long term warming and fragmentation treatments.
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At Exeter University, I worked with Gabriel Yvon-Durocher and Samraat Pawar to develop laboratory experiments with a wide range of freshwater phytoplankton taxa to characterize the physiological traits (e.g. thermal dependency of growth, photosynthesis and respiration) favouring competitive abilities in a warming climate.
I also collaborate with Elisa Schaum to better understand how evolutive history to shape species responses to climate change. |
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Lizard project
My work with Julien Cote focuses on the impacts of climate change on the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, both at the population level – impact of temperature on lizard population and metapopulation dynamics and persistence – and at the individual level – how individual phenotype plays a role in adaptation to climatic conditions.
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We work at the Metatron, an experimental system composed of 48 interconnected semi-natural enclosures in which climatic conditions can be manipulated.
We create several lizard populations in enclosures differing for their temperature. We monitor lizard life history (dispersal, survival, growth and reproduction) and we quantify populations' phenotypic variation (melanism, preferred temperatures). We aim at understanding the influence of dispersal, selection and plasticity on adaptation to climate change. |
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Other interests include the impacts of predation risk on lizard behaviour and phenotype. Specifically I worked on the maternal effects of predation risk on offspring phenotype and dispersal. Collaborations include a work on the non consumptive impacts of top predator cues on four-level food webs with Julien Cucherousset (EDB Laboratory) and an ongoing work with Joel White (ENFA) and Staffan Jacob on the impacts of climate change on lizard intestinal microbiota. Finally on the modelling side I developed a project with Robin Aguilee, Julien Cote and Felix Pellerin, on the impact of phenotype- and condition-dependent dispersal on climate-driven range shifts. A past work with Jean Clobert and Sylvain Moulherat focused on the development of an individual-based model of metapopulation dynamics integrating dispersal in an explicit landscape to serve as a flexible platform for Population Viability Analysis.
Keywords
climate change – population dynamics – dispersal – metapopulations – personality – maternal effects – predation risk – lizards – phytoplankton – communities – thermal physiology – habitat fragmentation
