Understanding ecological and evolutionary dynamics in space.
metapopulations | metacommunities | dispersal and movement behaviour | eco-evolutionary dynamics
theoretical ecology | evolutionary theory | life-history theory | experimental evolution
theoretical ecology | evolutionary theory | life-history theory | experimental evolution
Welcome to my web site! I am an evolutionary ecologist working within the CNRS at the ISEM and the University of Montpellier, France. I am especially interested in the evolution of life-history strategies of animals and plants living in spatially structured populations and communities.
In order to understand these spatio-temporal dynamics, the major focus of my work lies on the causes and consequences of dispersal. I study the effects of ecological and evolutionary processes at multiple hierarchical levels, from shifts in allele frequencies to metapopulation, metacommunity and range dynamics. Since evolution can be very rapid my work takes into account interactions between ecological and evolutionary dynamics as well as eco-evolutionary feedbacks.
As my interest is conceptual and aims at understanding mechanisms, I use both theoretical and experimental approaches. While I advance theory through mathematical models and individual-based simulations, I am particularly interested in combining these findings with empirical evidence from micro- and mesocosms as well as with experimental field work.
In order to understand these spatio-temporal dynamics, the major focus of my work lies on the causes and consequences of dispersal. I study the effects of ecological and evolutionary processes at multiple hierarchical levels, from shifts in allele frequencies to metapopulation, metacommunity and range dynamics. Since evolution can be very rapid my work takes into account interactions between ecological and evolutionary dynamics as well as eco-evolutionary feedbacks.
As my interest is conceptual and aims at understanding mechanisms, I use both theoretical and experimental approaches. While I advance theory through mathematical models and individual-based simulations, I am particularly interested in combining these findings with empirical evidence from micro- and mesocosms as well as with experimental field work.
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featured publications:
Saastamoinen et al. (2018): Genetics of dispersal. Biological Reviews.
Fronhofer et al. (2017): Evolution of density-dependent movement during experimental range expansions. Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
Fronhofer et al. (2017) Information use shapes the dynamics of range expansions into environmental gradients. Global Ecology and Biogeography.
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latest news:
Welcome to Jhelam Deshpande, new summer student in the lab. She'll work on modelling dispersal evolution in host-parasite systems.
PhD position in Evolutionary Ecology on "What governs the dynamics of a species' range?" available via the GAIA Doctoral School.
Welcome to Lilia Galvez, new MEME MSc student in the lab. She'll work on range expansions!
Co-organizing dispNet, a network of European scientists advancing spatial ecology & evolution by performing distributed experiments.
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