Descrizione del progetto
Comprendere le risposte funzionali e i meccanismi di diffusione delle piante d’acqua dolce invasive
La biodiversità è minacciata dalle specie invasive, che infliggono danni significativi agli ecosistemi e all’integrità degli habitat. Gli ecosistemi d’acqua dolce, in particolare, sono altamente suscettibili alle invasioni, che determinano un declino degli essenziali servizi da essi forniti. Con il sostegno del programma di azioni Marie Skłodowska-Curie, il progetto DIVE IN migliorerà la comprensione delle risposte funzionali, degli adattamenti e della futura diffusione di tre piante d’acqua dolce invasive: Elodea nuttallii, Pistia stratiotes e Trapa natans. Il progetto svilupperà un quadro applicabile a varie piante invasive valutando i loro tratti fogliari nell’ambito di diversi gradienti ecologici e conducendo esperimenti di vario tipo; inoltre, fornirà formazione in materia di modellizzazione, comunicazione e gestione. In definitiva, DIVE IN si prefigge di mitigare l’insediamento e la proliferazione delle piante invasive negli habitat d’acqua dolce.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global FellowshipsCoordinatore
43121 PARMA
Italia