Evolutionary Ecology
The department of Evolutionary Ecology gathers complementary skills in behavioural ecology, population dynamics, population biology, community ecology, and methodology (statistics and modelling). The research done in the department aims at studying how animal species evolve in a changing world by understanding the causes of the evolution of traits, adaptations and interactions. For that, we consider different levels of organization from individuals to populations and communities. Because organisms cannot be considered isolated from other biotic factors, we consider pathogens but also competing species within communities.
We study how individuals adapt to their environments that are largely impacted by anthropic pressures, and how life history traits and behaviour evolve in response to these pressures. Although we mainly focus on phenotype, we more and more consider the mechanistic link between the genotype and the phenotype. We develop the theoretical framework of our discipline through a conceptual and modeling approach. In parallel, we test hypotheses that arise from theoretical predictions through experimental, comparative and observational approaches on different biological models (insects, birds, mammals). Experimental approaches are developed in the laboratory (insect model) and in natura (bird, insect and mammal models). Observational and comparative research is mainly concerned with vertebrates. Our approaches are also, and increasingly, interested in the mechanisms of adaptive responses. In addition to the classical approaches of demographic analysis and trait change, methods of ecophysiology, chemical ecology and molecular biology are used.
Our department hosts several long-term studies of wild populations of different species. These long-term studies offer a valuable way to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect individuals’ life history traits, and the functioning of populations in natura. Five populations of mammalian species are thus monitored for several years (more than 40 years on roe deer, 30 on Alpine marmots, 25 years on cats, 16 years on zebras, and 20 years on impala). Two of our study sites (La Sassière in Vanoise National Park (Alpine marmots) and Hwange National Park) have been certified as “Site d’Etude en Ecologie Globale” (SEEG), and two (ZA “Hwange” and ZA “Antarctic and sub-Antarctic”) were certified as “Zone Atelier” by the CNRS.
The department of Evolutionary ecology is also largely involved in training activities. Lastly, we also have strong socio-economic relationships. Indeed, because we address questions of major societal interest (global warming, public health) we tightly collaborate with socio-economic partners (Office Français de la Biodiversité, Vanoise National Park, Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, Office National des Forêts, etc.) and participate to general public and media events.
Publications
Display of 1261 to 1290 publications on 2315 in total
Roaring counts are not suitable for the monitoring of red deer Cervus elaphus population abundance
Wildlife Biology . 19 : 94-101
DOI: 10.2981/12-037
Journal article
see the publicationComparing free-ranging and captive populations reveals intra-specific variation in aging rates in large herbivores
Experimental Gerontology . 48 : 162--7
Journal article
see the publicationSex-specific senescence in body mass of a monogamous and monomorphic mammal: the case of Alpine marmots
Oecologia . 172 : 427--36
Journal article
see the publicationThe influence of nonrandom mating on population growth
The American Naturalist . 182 : 28--41
DOI: 10.1086/670753
Journal article
see the publicationStudying spatial interactions between sympatric populations of large herbivores: a null model approach
Ecography . 36 : 157--165
Journal article
see the publicationParturition date for a given female is highly repeatable within five roe deer populations
Biology Letters . 9 ( 1 ) : 20120841
Journal article
see the publicationHow does climate change influence demographic processes of widespread species? Lessons from the comparative analysis of contrasted populations of roe deer
Ecology Letters . 16 : 48--57
DOI: 10.1111/ele.12059
Journal article
see the publicationCompensatory evolution and the origins of innovations
GENETICS . 193 : 1209--1220
Journal article
see the publicationThe evolution of genetic architectures underlying quantitative traits
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences . 280 : 20131552
Journal article
see the publicationInfluence of vectors' risk-spreading strategies and environmental stochasticity on the epidemiology and evolution of vector-borne diseases: the example of chagas' disease.
PLoS ONE . 8 ( 8 ) : e70830
Journal article
see the publicationThe direction of main phenotypic variance as a channel to morphological evolution: case studies in murine rodents
Hystrix, the italian Journal of Mammalogy . 24 : 85--93
Journal article
see the publicationMus in Morocco : a Quaternary sequence of intraspecific evolution
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society . 109 : 599--621
DOI: 10.1111/bij.12065
Journal article
see the publicationEstimating demographic parameters from capture-recapture data with dependence among individuals within clusters
Methods in Ecology and Evolution . 4 ( 5 ) : 474-482
Journal article
see the publicationProblem-solving performance is correlated with reproductive success in a wild bird population
Animal Behaviour . 85 : 19-26
Journal article
see the publicationConference Report: Deuxièmes Rencontres R
The R Journal . 5/2 : 164--165
Journal article
see the publicationFunctional traits reveal processes driving natural afforestation at large spatial scales
PLoS ONE . 8 : e75219
Journal article
see the publicationReciprocal modulation of internal and external factors determines individual movements
Journal of Animal Ecology . 82 : 290--300
Journal article
see the publicationDoes local habitat fragmentation affect large-scale distributions? The case of a specialist grassland bird
Diversity and Distributions . 19 : 423--432
DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12019
Journal article
see the publicationModeling the seasonal spread of a pestivirus in a structured pyrenean chamois population
4. International Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics (Epidemics) .
Poster
see the publicationTaking cows body dimension when designing housing system : A way to improve dairy cows well being.
33. International Ethological Conference .
Conference paper
see the publicationA Comparison of the Olfactory Gene Repertoires of Adults and Larvae in the Noctuid Moth Spodoptera littoralis
PLoS ONE . 8 ( 4 ) : e60263
Journal article
see the publicationImpact of the mate-finding Allee effect on the competitiveness of diploid versus haplodiploid parasitoids: a theoretical approach
Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting .
Conference paper
see the publicationDemographic consequences of Complementary Sex Determination in Hymenoptera parasitoids
INTECOL .
Poster
see the publicationWaterbird demography as indicator of wetland health: The French-wintering common snipe population
Biological Conservation . 164 : 123 - 128
Journal article
see the publicationHow can quantitative ecology be attractive to young scientists? Balancing computer/desk work with fieldwork
Animal Conservation . 16 ( 2 ) : 134-136
Journal article
see the publicationIndividual flexibility in energy saving: body size and condition constrain torpor use
Functional Ecology . 27 ( 3 ) : 793-799
Journal article
see the publicationThe exotic legume tree species, Acacia mearnsii, alters microbial soil functionalities and the early development of a native tree species, Quercus suber, in North Africa
Soil Biology and Biochemistry . 65 : 172--179
Journal article
see the publicationExploration as a key component of natal dispersal: dispersers explore more than philopatric individuals in roe deer
Animal Behaviour . 86 ( 1 ) : 143-151
Journal article
see the publicationLa pestivirose de l'isard : modélisation de l'efficacité des mesures de gestion
31. Rencontres du Groupe d’Etude d’Ecopathologie de Faune Sauvage de Montagne (GEEFSM) .
Conference paper
see the publicationHost-Parasitoid Dynamics and the Success of Biological Control When Parasitoids Are Prone to Allee Effects
PLoS ONE . 8 ( 10 ) : e76768
Journal article
see the publication
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