Description du projet
Des refuges climatiques identifiés pour la conservation des papillons
Nos connaissances restent encore lacunaires quand il s’agit de comprendre l’écologie et la répartition des insectes pollinisateurs, en particulier vis-à-vis des futures conditions climatiques. Le projet PROBAE, financé par l’UE, remédiera à cette situation en créant un cadre permettant d’identifier les zones prioritaires pour la conservation des insectes pollinisateurs en Europe. Il concentrera ses efforts sur les papillons et les refuges dits «climatiques», qui amélioreront les chances de persistance de ces espèces dans les conditions climatiques futures. Le chercheur utilisera des données concernant la distribution des papillons européens ainsi que de nouvelles approches de modélisation pour identifier les zones de haute diversité biologique. Il évaluera également si les forêts peuvent accroître la persistance des papillons menacés par le changement climatique et déterminera les zones à privilégier pour protéger les refuges «climatique» dans l’UE.
Objectif
Biodiversity is the essential foundation that supports prosperous human societies. Yet, current rates of human-driven changes in climate and habitats define the Anthropocene as one of the most catastrophic times for species on our planet. Reversing declines in pollinator insects, a necessary component of healthy and productive ecosystems, is a priority in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and Pollinators Initiative. Yet, several gaps remain in our understanding of the ecology and distributions of these taxa, particularly in relation to future climatic conditions.
PROBAE (PROtect Butterflies Across Europe through climate refugia) defines a novel framework to identify areas of conservation priority for pollinator insects across Europe, focussing on butterflies and climate change refugia, i.e. areas that will increase the likelihood of species’ persistence in future climatic conditions. I will use extensive spatio-temporal data on the distribution of European butterflies and novel modelling approaches to: (i) identify high-resolution hotspots of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity by integrating expert maps and monitoring data; (ii) assess if forests can increase the persistence of threatened butterflies in the face of climate change; (iii) determine which areas should be prioritized to protect climate change refugia across the EU.
PROBAE synthesizes concepts from population ecology, biogeography, biodiversity science, and conservation planning. By developing this innovative project, I will train skills that will allow me to establish as an independent researcher (e.g. Bayesian hierarchical modelling, conservation biogeography, analysis of big data), while networking with leading experts in the fields of landscape ecology, macroecology, and global change biology. The outcomes of PROBAE will inform actions related to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and contribute broadly to the Horizon 2020 objective of achieving a climate resilient future.
Champ scientifique
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologylandscape ecology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomology
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesphysical geography
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
1015 LAUSANNE
Suisse