Context
Global biodiversity is changing at an unprecedented rate, posing significant challenges for ecosystem stability and conservation efforts. Despite the urgency of this issue, our understanding of long-term biodiversity dynamics remains limited. The TIME-LINES project aims to investigate the dynamics of biodiversity change on islands globally over the past 5000 years, using them as model systems and biodiversity hotspots with varied human colonization times and impacts. This global approach will enable the development of palaeoecological networks spanning multiple biogeographical scales (islands, archipelagos, biogeographical regions, global).
Appraoch
Our lab has made a breakthrough in understanding biodiversity change by creating a detailed 'Plaeoecological Llibrary' that includes published records from islands around the world, making it a unique resource. Additionally, we employ a multi-proxy approach, integrating fossil pollen analysis with cutting-edge sedimentary DNA (sedaDNA) techniques. This combination allows for a more robust and detailed reconstruction of past ecosystems than either method alone. In addition, our analyses extend beyond biodiversity dynamics to include chronologies of key drivers of ecological change, such as fire regimes and species introductions, under different climate conditions/scenarios.
Finally, by focusing on islands in Ocean regions with little or no previous palaeoecological data, such as the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, we are filling critical gaps in our understanding of global biodiversity patterns and their changes over time
Goals
The TIME-LINES project aims to advance our understanding of biodiversity dynamics by analyzing long-term ecological changes and assessing the influence of geographical attributes and history on these changes at both taxonomic and functional levels on a global scale. By advancing the integration of palaeoecology with biogeography, TIME-LINES will unlock new research horizons, offering insights into the link between biodiversity and geography across millennia and contribute significantly to more effective conservation strategies in a rapidly changing world.
