Plant invasions and population dynamics

Biological invasions are identified as one of the major threats to biomes. Climatic variability and human-induced habitat changes are expected to increase the number of invasive alien species in the ecosystems, necessitating a more detailed understanding of the invasion process to minimise future invasions. Plants are forming a significant part of all invasive species and therefore, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain their success, such as release from natural enemies in the introduced range.

We examine factors that may be critical to plant invasions by combining manipulative experiments, modern molecular tools, and demographic models. We are particularly interested in invasive species management, and the roles of soil microbiota, phenotypic plasticity, and herbivory in plant invasions.

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A PhD position available NOW:

We are currently looking for a PhD student to work on invasive alien species and public perceptions, with the starting date in August 2024. More information on the project and how to apply can be found here, see project no. 15.

https://sites.utu.fi/utugredit/research-projects