Main interest

I am a Ph.D. student in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto, Canada. I am interested in understanding how the landscape structure influences the patterns of gene flow among isolated populations. Because habitat loss and fragmentation are one of the major threats to natural populations, the study of habitat connectivity for plant and animal species has become an important field of research in conservation biology. Particularly, my research thesis focuses on how landscape management by sheep grazing in calcareous grasslands (Germany) leads to a change in dispersal and gene flow in plants. Through microsatellite markers, for three calcareous grassland species with different dispersal abilities, coupled with information geographic systems (GIS), and spatial statistical analysis, I will test the hypothesis that sheep grazing acts as a dispersal vector enhancing functional connectivity among calcareous grasslands. This PhD research will provide a better understanding of how changes in landscape structure affect dispersal and gene flow to improve the effectiveness of landscape-scale conservation strategies.

To visit the website of the spatial ecology and landscape genetics research group to which I belong, click on HERE