Project description
Uncovering evolutionary secrets to preserve biodiversity
The ongoing loss of biodiversity is one of the most pressing global challenges, with many species struggling to adapt to rapidly changing environments. To mitigate this crisis, we must better understand the evolutionary and ecological processes that influence the survival of wild populations. Traditional models fall short of capturing the complexity of these dynamics. In this context, the ERC-funded GPWILD project will harness cutting-edge genomic data to model eco-evolutionary processes in wild systems. It aims to predict evolutionary change, estimate eco-evolutionary dynamics, and quantify key processes in six long-term wild study systems. By developing advanced statistical methods, the project will provide new insights into how species adapt to environmental changes, contributing to the preservation of biodiversity.
Objective
In order to halt the ongoing biodiversity loss, we need a radically better understanding of key evolutionary and ecological processes of wild populations. The revolutionary methods of my project will enable us to utilize the rapidly-increasing volumes of high-density genomic data for wild populations, and open up unseen opportunities for genomic modeling of eco-evolutionary processes in wild systems. As a result, we will gain an improved understanding of why some species can cope better with the expected global changes of the environment than others. My three major objectives are to: (1) develop a broad set of tools for effcient and accurate prediction of evolutionary change and adaptive evolutionary potential in spatially and temporally structured populations, (2) provide a general theoretical foundation for the developments of new methods to estimate accuracy in important parameters of eco-evolutionary dynamics, and (3) quantify key processes affecting eco-evolutionary dynamics in six exceptional wild long-term study systems by applying the proposed methods. I will do so by developing cutting-edge statistical methodology that builds on the current state-of-the art in animal breeding, human genomics, ecology and evolutionary biology. As an innovative statistician with cross-disciplinary expertise and long collaborations with biologists, I am uniquely positioned for this task. All methods will be developed and tested around the six empirical data sets, as well as via extensive simulation studies that allow us to experiment with scenarios similar to those expected to be available in the near future. My work will expand current research boundaries, both in terms of methods and theory, and has a wide range of possible applications far beyond the data at hand, which will spark additional research. Most importantly, the project will create valuable new insight into adaptive evolutionary processes and how to best preserve the Earth's biological diversity.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
7491 TRONDHEIM
Norway
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.