RESEARCH

My research aims to improve our understanding of 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 started my academic career at the University of Exeter, working with Andy Young as a PhD student at the incredible white-browed sparrow weaver project.

If you would like to hear from research updates, the easiest way is probably to follow me on Twitter. Also, check the publications page.