Research interests

We aim at determining patterns and mechanisms of amphibian diversity by a multi-disciplinary approach, encompassing behavioural and evolutionary ecology but also landscape ecology and genetics, demography and population dynamics, biogeography, ecotoxicology, and parasitology. A special focus is given on the adaptive value of intraspecific diversity at both the behavioural and developmental levels. In this framework, the main model is facultative paedomorphosis, an important evolutionary process that produces alternative morphs and species that differ by retention of larval traits in the adult stage depending on environmental stressors. Research implies field observations and sampling in a large variety of environments througout Europe and North America, but also laboratory experiments, linking patterns to causality. Because inter and intraspecific amphibian biodiversity is declining worlwide, our research programs are particularly oriented in conservation biology in identifying threats (invasive species, global warming, emerging disease, habitat loss) and their mechanisms on amphibians.

Main study species: Ambystoma tigrinum, Calotriton asper, Lissotriton helveticus, L. vulgaris, Mesotriton alpestris, Rana temporaria, Rana ridibunda, Triturus cristatus, T. marmoratus.

Specific methodologies: ecological modelling at varied scales, development of automatized behavioural markers, ecological experiments in reconstituted environments;

Last 10 main publications

 

More references: List of the main publications

Editorial boards

Co-Editor of Amphibia-Reptilia, trimestrial journal of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica (Brill Publisher)

Reviewer:

Thematic journals: Acta oecologica, Acta zoologica, African Journal of Ecology, American Midland Naturalist, American Naturalist, Annales Zoologi Fennici, Animal Behaviour, Aquatic Conservation, Aquatic Ecology, Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Biological Conservation, Behavioral Ecology, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Bulletin de la Société Herpétologique de France, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Comptes Rendus Biologies, Diversity and Distribution, Ecography, Ecology, Evolution & Development, Evolutionary Ecology, Frontiers in Zoology, Functional Ecology, Heredity, Hydrobiologia, Italian Journal of Zoology, Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal of Biogeography, Journal of Ethology, Journal of Natural History, Journal of Thermal Biology, Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, Oecologia, Revue d'Ecologie, Zoology.

Herpetological journals: Acta herpetologica, Amphibia-Reptilia, Copeia, Herpetologica, Journal of Herpetology, Russian Journal of Herpetology, The Herpetological Journal.