My current research revolves around the following objectives:
- Testing the effectiveness of habitat restoration measures. In a collaborative effort, we investigate the effectiveness of agri-environmental schemes for restoring farmland bird communities in Switzerland, and how reforestation actions restore avian communities and associated ecosystem functions in Cost Rica.
- Understanding the mechanisms of population dynamics and space use in Red Kites. Once extinct in Switzerland, this large raptor species has repopulated large parts of the country since the mid 70ies. By combining demographic analysis, extensive GPS tracking (> 550 birds in Switzerland, > additional 1000 birds of European collaboration partners) and feeding experiments, we aim to understand dispersal, settlement, (partial) migration, social behavior, and stage-specific mortality and survival. To get a better overview, check this page here.
- Developing theory and testing predictions on how human land use alters biotic interactions (pollination, frugivory, herbivory, parasitism), and how this affects fitness, movement of "mobile linker species" and propagules in space and time. For this, my collaborators and I perform experiments and genetic analysis on tropical pollinator-plant networks (hummingbirds).
- Assessing trade-offs between multiple aspects of societal concern in production landscapes. My research seeks to understand if and how production landscapes can be managed for biodiversity conservation, while sustaining satisfiable levels of e.g. commodity production, carbon sequestration, pollination services and nutrient retention