Speaker: Dr. Celina Baines, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Please send an e-mail to michelle.achermann-sidler@eawag.ch to receive access data to this online seminar and further information.

The effects of phenotype-by-environment interactions on dispersal behaviour

Dispersal is a central process in ecology and evolution, influencing metapopulation persistence, range expansion, local adaptation, and more. We typically think of dispersal in terms of simple relationships – as a constant proportion or a reaction norm – but in reality, phenotype and the environment often inform dispersal decisions. In my research, I have found that dispersal behaviour is conditional on the interaction between phenotype and environmental conditions, including the abundance of competitors, predators, and parasites. I show that these complex dispersal behaviours have significant consequences for ecological and evolutionary dynamics.