My interests

Invasion macro-evolution and macro-ecology

To reduce future invasions it is imperative to determine the potential invasiveness of species. Until now, screening approaches have relied largely on species-specific functional feature data. Such information is, however, time-consuming and expensive to collect, thwarting the screening of large numbers of potential invaders. In this context, I work on resolving such data limitations by developing indicators of alien species establishment success that can be readily derived from open-access databases. These indicators describe key features of successfully established aliens, including their niche characteristics, and proxies of traits related to their establishment and local dominance capacities. Currently, I am particularly interested by the investigation of whether the history of “natural” colonizations of a species’ ancestors (i.e. its biogeographic history) can be a reliable predictor of its current invasion capacities.

Invader-native coexistence mechanisms

Once a species has been introduced and has passed large-scale environmental filters, its establishment success will depend on the suitability of the local environmental conditions as well as the local biotic interactions with native communities. To better understand what types of biotic interaction are key determinants of invasion success I investigate both competitive and facilitative interactions between invasive and native plant species. I specifically focus on: (i) quantifying the mode (direct vs. indirect), frequency and intensity of these interactions, (ii) identifying how invader-native interactions vary along large environmental gradients, and (iii) whether they can be predicted by species functional traits.

Invader impacts on multi-trophic networks

Exotic species can modify ecosystem composition, structure, and dynamics, eventually driving native species to local extinction. Among the groups of organisms most likely to be directly affected by invasive plants are herbivorous and pollinating insects, which strongly depend on plants throughout their life cycle. However, it remains unclear whether invasive plants have a negative or a positive effect on insect diversity at a landscape scale. I am now starting a project that aims at better understanding invasive plants impacts on plant-insect networks, especially in terms of structural alteration, long-term dynamics, and resilience.