Evolution in Heterogeneous Environments: Adaptation Mechanisms, Biomonitoring and Conservation of Biodiversity

Environmental heterogeneity influences biological variability at various levels. In this research project, abiotic and biotic environmental effects on molecular, cytological and morphological variability will be analyzed in various groups (invertebrates, vertebrates and plants) and on various scales (spatial and temporal). Impact of environmental heterogeneity on the variability of life history and behavioral traits, on changes in population structure and its influence on evolutionary processes (genetic specialization, evolution of phenotypic plasticity, speciation) will also be analyzed, especially its impact on indigenous, introduced and invasive species. The research will be conducted mainly on natural populations in their native and disturbed habitats, but also on samples reared in different experimental conditions. It will allow different comparisons (between variability at different organizational levels, between populations in different environments, between closely related but ecologically different species, between different taxa from the same region, and between native and exotic, invasive species), which will lead to insights into different evolutionary processes and phylogeographic patterns. The results will also test the validity of particular indicators of the environment disturbance level, the status of communities and ecosystems (regionally and in Europe), and provide valuable information for sustainable biodiversity conservation strategies.