Description du projet
Comprendre les réponses fonctionnelles et les mécanismes de propagation des plantes d’eau douce envahissantes
La biodiversité est menacée par les espèces envahissantes, qui causent des dommages considérables aux écosystèmes et à l’intégrité des habitats. Les écosystèmes d’eau douce sont particulièrement sensibles aux invasions responsables du déclin des services essentiels qu’ils fournissent. Avec le soutien du programme Actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie, le projet DIVE IN permettra de mieux comprendre les réponses fonctionnelles, les adaptations et la propagation future de trois plantes d’eau douce envahissantes: L’élodée de Nuttall, la laitue d’eau et la mâcre nageante. Le projet développera un cadre applicable à diverses plantes envahissantes en évaluant leurs caractéristiques foliaires sur divers gradients écologiques et en menant diverses expériences. Il proposera également une formation en modélisation, en communication et en gestion. À terme, le projet entend atténuer l’établissement et la prolifération des plantes envahissantes dans les habitats d’eau douce.
Objectif
Biodiversity is facing the imperative challenge posed by invasive species responsible for substantial damage to habitat integrity and ecosystem services. Freshwaters are particularly susceptible to invasions, and this is causing a dramatic decline of the irreplaceable services they provide. This project aims at untangling the mechanisms underlying invasion performance by determining and predicting the spatial range of functional variation of three highly invasive freshwater plants (Elodea nuttallii, Pistia stratiotes and Trapa natans) in response to environmental conditions, thereby obtaining better estimates of their influence on the functioning of invaded habitats. This global MSCA is outlined in 36 months and includes 24 months at McGill University, Canada, under the supervision of Prof. L. Iversen, an outstanding scientific leader in the field of landscape geography and freshwater science, and 12 months at the University of Parma, Italy, with supervisor Dr. R. Bolpagni, a renowned expert on freshwater plants. I will measure leaf functional traits of target species across ecological gradients and describe strong trait-environment relationships in Europe and Québec. I will also perform manipulative experiments to validate and implement spatial models of trait variation. Training through research will be combined with courses on spatial modelling, science communication, and project management. DIVE IN provides a robust framework that can be applied to different invasive plants and global change scenarios, supporting the development of effective actions to counter invasive freshwater plants establishment/success. DIVE IN’s impact will be maximized by publishing papers in high-quality scientific journals, as well as by public engagement activities, including a blog, workshops, and citizen science initiatives. This project is a key step in my future career and will grant me a unique training opportunity, opening doors to prestigious research positions in Europe.
Champ scientifique
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régime de financement
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global FellowshipsCoordinateur
43121 PARMA
Italie