I am an evolutionary ecologist investigating how global environmental change reshapes biodiversity across genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. By integrating field-based ecology, population genomics, and spatial modelling, my research aims to uncover how human-driven environmental change alters biodiversity, species interactions, and ecosystem functioning. As the lead investigator on multiple funded projects, I develop predictive, cross-scale frameworks that link ecological and evolutionary processes to ecosystem function. My work seeks to bridge traditionally separate fields—community ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation science—to better understand and anticipate biodiversity responses in the Anthropocene. My research is broadly situated within community and evolutionary ecology of insects, with a particular focus on pollinators and their interactions.

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Insect biodiversity

​Habitat loss driven by the conversion of semi-natural ecosystems into human-dominated landscapes represents one of the most pervasive drivers of insect declines worldwide. Agricultural intensification and urbanisation are two major contributors to this process, often with strong negative effects on pollinator biodiversity. To understand how anthropogenic land use reshapes insect communities, I investigate the combined effects of local habitat quality, landscape composition, and landscape configuration on insect biodiversity. Biodiversity is assessed across multiple levels, including intraspecific genetic diversity, species richness, functional trait diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. This integrative approach allows me to link environmental change to biodiversity loss across biological scales.

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Insect evolutionary biology

​Humans have become one of the strongest evolutionary forces on the planet. Contemporary evolution driven by anthropogenic pressures has been documented in diverse contexts, including climate change, pollution, agriculture, urbanisation, habitat fragmentation, and biological invasions. My research focuses on understanding how insect populations respond evolutionarily to these pressures through changes in demography, genetic structure, local adaptation, and phenotypic plasticity. By combining population genomics with experimental and field-based approaches, I aim to reveal how evolutionary processes shape persistence and vulnerability of insect populations in rapidly changing environments.

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Plant-pollinator interactions and ecological networks

​While many studies have examined how land-use change affects pollinator and plant diversity, far fewer have explored how these changes alter the structure of plant–pollinator interaction networks. Yet, environmental change is likely to modify not only which species are present, but also how they interact. My work investigates how local habitat conditions and landscape-scale processes influence the architecture, complexity, and stability of plant–pollinator networks. Understanding how these mutualistic networks respond to environmental stress is essential for predicting community resilience and ecosystem functioning.

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​​Host-parasite interactions

​Host–parasite interactions are powerful drivers of both ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Parasites can regulate insect populations, influence species interactions, and restructure communities, yet their role in pollinator declines remains poorly understood. In my research, I examine how parasites affect host population dynamics, contribute to pollinator vulnerability, and potentially exert top-down effects on ecosystem services. This work integrates parasitology with population ecology and conservation biology to better understand disease-mediated biodiversity change.

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Pollination

Animal-mediated pollination is essential for the reproduction of most flowering plants and underpins both natural ecosystems and agricultural production. However, widespread declines in wild and managed pollinators raise serious concerns about the stability of this critical ecosystem service. My research examines how pollination services are influenced by (i) biodiversity across scales (species richness, genetic diversity, and phylogenetic diversity), (ii) local habitat quality, (iii) land-use change associated with agriculture and urbanisation, and (iv) parasite prevalence. By linking biodiversity patterns to pollination outcomes, I aim to identify the mechanisms that promote resilient ecosystem service delivery under global change.​