Project description DEENESFRITPL Unlocking the mysteries of evolving ecosystems Predicting the responses of species, communities and ecosystems to global climate change remains a great ecological challenge. To address this, the NICH project, funded by the European Research Council, aims to unravel the impact of novel competitors on species’ responses to climate change in alpine plant communities. By combining cutting-edge experiments and ecological modelling, it will study the consequences of novel interactions on population persistence and evolutionary responses. The project will also explore the predictive power of species traits in determining the outcome of these interactions, and the implications for species’ range dynamics under climate change. NICH will make a significant contribution to our understanding of climate change impacts and our ability to predict the dynamics of complex ecological systems. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective A great ecological challenges is predicting the responses of species, communities and ecosystems to global climate change. Progress will hinge on our ability to predict how responses are shaped by evolution and species interactions, and especially by entirely novel interactions among species whose ranges don't yet overlap. To tackle this goal, I will combine cutting-edge experiments and process-based modeling to address three questions about the impact of novel competitors on responses to climate change in alpine plant communities:(1) How will novel interactions impact species responses to climate change? I will test the ecological consequences of novel competitors for population persistence, and the potential for longer-term evolutionary responses, using a whole community transplant experiment that simulates future competitive scenarios faced by focal alpine plants.(2) Do species traits predict the outcome of novel interactions? A mechanistic understanding of competitive effects is essential to predict impacts of novel interactions. I will test how climate affects the outcome of competition among pairs of species planted along an elevation climate gradient, and whether these effects can be predicted using species’ functional traits.(3) What are the implications of novel competitive interactions for species’ ranges dynamics under climate change? I will use process-based species distribution models, parameterized with experimental demographic data, to explore the consequences of changing competitive interactions for range dynamics under climate change.This project will advance our understanding of species’ responses to climate change, and provide tools to apply to a diversity of other systems. It also tackles fundamental questions in ecology, shedding light on the mechanisms shaping species distributions. By linking experimental community ecology and biogeography, it will push the limits of our ability to predict the dynamics of complex ecological systems. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesevolutionary biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Keywords climate change competition experimental community ecology functional traits natural selection prediction species distribution modelling Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2015 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Net EU contribution € 787 925,25 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich Switzerland See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 787 925,25 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Switzerland Net EU contribution € 787 925,25 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 787 925,25 UNIVERSITE DE LAUSANNE Participation ended Switzerland Net EU contribution € 711 608,75 Address QUARTIER UNIL CENTRE - BATIMENT UNICENTRE 1015 LAUSANNE See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 711 608,75
