RESEARCH

My research aims to understand how human-induced environmental change affects animal ecology and evolution. My main focus is often on ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of behavioural responses in anthropogenic environments. However, I take an integrative approach including the understanding of the proximate mechanisms (e.g., physiological processes) and the consequences (e.g., for evolution, animal welfare or human health) of human-induced changes in animal behaviour. I am currently a Global Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Fellow working with Barbara Helm at the Swiss Ornithological Institute (Vogelwarte) and Carles Vilà at the Doñana Biological Station-CSIC.

During my fellowship, I am investigating human-induced changes in long-distance bird migration and their evolutionary consequences. If you are interested in how urbanisation, human-induced environmental change or artificial light at night affect long-distance animal migration, you can find out more about MIGRALIGHT on its webpage and on social media.

Additionally, I keep an active collaboration with Davide Dominoni, at the University of Glasgow, where we study (i) circadian patterns of behavioural and physiological activity in urban and non-urban passerine birds; and, (ii) anthropogenic effects on the gut microbiomes of wild birds and their consequences for adaptation to these environments and for animal welfare. I did my PhD at University of Exeter, working with Andy Young on the evolution of cooperative breeding, unsing the incredible white-browed sparrow weavers as a study species.

If you would like to be updated with research updates, the easiest way is to follow me on Bluesky and Instagram. Also, check the publications page on this website.