A5052925283- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Plant and animal studies
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
Research Institute for Nature and Forest
2020-2025
Ghent University
2016-2025
Ghent University Hospital
2019-2024
University of Antwerp
2011-2021
Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium
2020
Meise Botanic Garden
2020
University of Copenhagen
2017-2020
Natural History Museum Aarhus
2017-2019
Stony Brook University
2010
Abstract Aim Niche conservatism, or the extent to which niches are conserved across space and time, is of special concern for study non‐native species as it underlies predictions invasion risk. Based on occurrence 28 birds in E urope, we assess what G rinnellian realized during invasion, formulate hypotheses explain variation observed niche changes test how well distribution models can predict bird urope. Location Methods To quantify changes, a recent method that applies kernel smoothers...
Abstract Aim Invasive alien species are a growing threat to biodiversity, and identifying the mechanisms that enable these establish viable populations in their new environment is paramount for management of problems they pose. Using an unusually large number both failed successful documented introductions parakeets (Aves: Psittacidae) Europe, we test two major hypotheses on establishment success invading species, namely climate‐matching human‐activity hypothesis. Location European human...
European Union’s ban on trade in wild-caught birds both reduces and redistributes bird invasion risk globally.
Niche conservatism, the hypothesis that niches remain constant through time and space, is crucial for study of biological invasions as it underlies native‐range based predictions invasion risk. changes between native non‐native populations are increasingly reported. However, has been argued these arise mainly because in their novel range, species occupy only a subset environments they inhabit not expand into entirely to them. Here, using occurrences 29 vertebrate either Europe or North...
Quantifying species distributions using distribution models (SDMs) has emerged as a central method in modern biogeography. These empirical link occurrence data with spatial environmental information. Since their emergence the 1990s, thousands of scientific papers have used SDMs to study organisms across entire tree life, birds commanding considerable attention. Here, we review current state avian and point challenges future opportunities for specific applications, ranging from conservation...
Background: Alien species are one of the major causes contributing to biodiversity loss. In Europe, over 340 alien bird have been recorded in wild, which 74 established. Among 12 established parrot Rose-ringed Parakeet (RRP) Psittacula krameri is most abundant and widespread. Objective: Although best documented vertebrates historical current datasets on RRP invasion success demography not systematically collated analysed. This paper therefore aims bring together, verify make available this...
Abstract Aim To mitigate the threat invasive species pose to ecosystem functioning, reliable risk assessment is paramount. Spatially explicit predictions of invasion obtained through bioclimatic envelope models calibrated with native distribution data can play a critical role in management. Forecasts novel environments, however, remain controversial. Here, we assess how species’ association human‐modified habitats range and within‐taxon niche structure shape populations at biogeographical...
Risk assessment tools for listing invasive alien species need to incorporate all available evidence and expertise. Beyond the wealth of protocols developed date, we argue that current way performing risk analysis has several shortcomings. In particular, lack data on ecological impacts, transparency repeatability assessments as well incorporation uncertainty should be explicitly considered. We recommend improved quality control through formalized peer review with clear feedback between...
Humans have moved species away from their native ranges since the Neolithic, but globalization accelerated rate at which are being moved. We fitted more than half million distribution models for 610 traded bird on CITES list to examine separate and joint effects of global climate land-cover change potential end-of-century distributions. found that climate-induced suitability modelled invasive increases with latitude, because birds mainly tropical origin much temperate region is...
Abstract Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity and inflict massive economic costs. Effective management of bio-invasions depends on reliable predictions areas at risk invasion, as they allow early invader detection rapid responses. Yet, considerable uncertainty remains how predict best potential invasive distribution ranges. Using set mainly (sub)tropical birds introduced Europe, we show that the true extent geographical area invasion can accurately be determined by using...
There is a large and growing number of alien species in ecosystems all over the world. In view this, management efforts should concentrate on invasives that have detrimental effects native biota. However, action against often hindered by lack relevant ecological information such as expected distribution impact invader. Our aims were to identify habitat characteristics influence ring‐necked parakeet abundance Belgium assess competition for nesting cavities with hole‐nesters. We determined...
Conservation actions often focus on restoration or creation of natural areas designed to facilitate the movements organisms among populations. To be efficient, these need based reliable estimates predictions landscape connectivity. While circuit theory and least‐cost paths (LCPs) are increasingly being used estimate connectivity, methods also have proven limitations. We compared their performance in predicting genetic connectivity with that an alternative approach a simple, individual‐based...
Abstract Wildlife trade is currently the most important and increasing source of vertebrate invasive species. However, exhaustive analyses potential side effects regulations on this pathway introduction are lacking. We addressed by combining environmental niche models global data parrots (Psittaciformes), one widely traded worldwide taxa. used wild bird bans United States (1992) Europe (2005) as case‐studies. Results showed that regional can generate geographic redirections in trade, with...
Abstract Aim Effective policy and management responses to the multiple threats posed by invasive alien species ( IAS ) rely on ability assess their impacts before conclusive empirical evidence is available. A plethora of different risk and/or impact assessment protocols have been proposed, but it remains unclear whether, how why outcomes such may differ. Location Europe. Methods Here, we present an in‐depth evaluation informed consistency four prominent for assessing EICAT , GISS Harmonia +...
Introduction Species distribution models (SDMs) are often used to produce risk maps guide conservation management and decision-making with regard invasive alien species (IAS). However, gathering harmonizing the required occurrence other spatial data, as well identifying coding a robust modeling framework for reproducible SDMs, requires expertise in both ecological data science statistics. Methods We developed WiSDM, semi-automated workflow democratize creation of open, reproducible,...
ABSTRACT Aim Some invasive species succeed particularly well and manage to establish populations across a wide variety of regions climatic conditions. Understanding how biotic environmental factors facilitate their invasion success remains challenge. Here, we assess the role two major hypotheses explaining success: (1) enemy‐release, which argues that are freed from native predators parasites in new areas; (2) climate‐matching, similarity between exotic range determines populations. Location...
Species distribution models are used in ecology and conservation biology to draw inferences about the drivers of species' ranges. However, poor conceptual background, environmental variable selection, algorithm selection can contribute misleading model predictions. We assessed effects environment compared statistical performance output maps correlative resource- biotope-based for estimating habitat potential Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) Bolivia's Tropical Andes. The resource-based...
Summary As biodiversity hotspots are often characterized by high human population densities, implementation of conservation management practices that focus only on the protection and enlargement pristine habitats is potentially unrealistic. An alternative approach to curb species extinction risk involves improving connectivity among existing habitat patches. However, evaluation spatially explicit strategies challenging, as predictive models must account for process dispersal, which difficult...
Abstract Invasive species present a major threat to global biodiversity. Understanding genetic patterns and evolutionary processes that reinforce successful establishment is paramount for elucidating mechanisms underlying biological invasions. Among birds, the ring‐necked parakeet ( Psittacula krameri ) one of most invasive species, established in over 35 countries. However, little known about origins this what population signatures tell us invasion. We reveal ancestral populations across...
While numerous studies have reported negative effects of urbanisation on birds, few examined the role urban scale in influencing breeding success. Furthermore, many relied qualitative rather than quantitative assessments urbanisation. This study sought to address these issues by testing urbanisation, measured at two spatial scales, success great tits Parus major . A nested design, incorporating over 400 nestboxes, was used sites across northern Belgium with a priori quantified degrees both...