Presentation

We work at the interface between basic and applied ecology, and we try to maintain a broad range of interests, combining empirical observations, ecological experiments and statistical/mathematical modelling.

I started my research career as a behavioural ecologist, working on foraging behaviour, foraging theory and physiological adaptations to harsh environmental conditions. Although we have now switched to population and community ecology, the behavioural mechanisms behind community and population patterns are still an important part of our research interests. 

Our research topics range from individual responses to challenging environmental conditions to community assembly, biological control, and conservation. 

Most of our research is carried out in temperate and Mediterranean climate areas, from the Alps to the Tuscan archipelago, but we are developing collaborations to start activities in the tropics (Madagascar). 

Other non-ant research topics include the analysis of vertebrate populations, game species in particular, and examples are the development of methods to estimate animal abundance and the detection of population trends through the analysis of bag data.