Anthropogenic Impacts on Eco-Evolutionary Processes
I am keen to understand the impact human society has on natural ecological and evolutionary processes, e.g. through pollution, climate change, and urbanization. Insects are critical links in most ecological networks. Unfortunately, since the 90s, there are consistent indications of a wide collapse of insect populations, making it critical to understand the connection between humans and nature. Many of my recent projects involve evolutionary rescue, a strong candidate mechanism for natural population recovery under climate change. Some of my PhD research also focused on behavioural changes in new environments and their impact on insect fitness.
Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics & Community Stability
The "ecological theater" and the "evolutionary play" are inextricably intertwined, and no life exists in a vacuum. Some of my dissertation work focused on understanding ancestral variation in trait to long-term adaptation (eco-to-evo). During my postdoc, I extended this to explore how rapid evolution can impose ecological changes (evo-to-eco), via population dynamics or changes in inter-specific interactions. My current research at the Czech Academy of Sciences is strongly grounded in this theme.
I am keen to understand the impact human society has on natural ecological and evolutionary processes, e.g. through pollution, climate change, and urbanization. Insects are critical links in most ecological networks. Unfortunately, since the 90s, there are consistent indications of a wide collapse of insect populations, making it critical to understand the connection between humans and nature. Many of my recent projects involve evolutionary rescue, a strong candidate mechanism for natural population recovery under climate change. Some of my PhD research also focused on behavioural changes in new environments and their impact on insect fitness.
Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics & Community Stability
The "ecological theater" and the "evolutionary play" are inextricably intertwined, and no life exists in a vacuum. Some of my dissertation work focused on understanding ancestral variation in trait to long-term adaptation (eco-to-evo). During my postdoc, I extended this to explore how rapid evolution can impose ecological changes (evo-to-eco), via population dynamics or changes in inter-specific interactions. My current research at the Czech Academy of Sciences is strongly grounded in this theme.