Research Summary
The effect of global changes on natural systems is a major concern for human societies. Under current models, global warming will continue until the end of 21st century, and will influence regional climates around the world. A major challenge for biological sciences is to predict how natural systems will respond to these changes in the environment.
This project will investigate the population dynamics (population growth, survival and breeding success) of animals living in the alpine area, a region strongly affected by changes in climate, by using the alpine marmots of the French Alps (Marmota marmota) as a model species. The goals of the project are to assess the effects of local and global climate on the growth, breeding success, emigration and survival; to determine the effects of group structure (size, age and sex of the individuals) on individual performance and population dynamics; and to investigate whether the trends of climate over the last twenty years have had measurable effects on animal populations in the Alps.
There is a crucial need to understand how populations will evolve under continuing climate change and to find the mechanisms involved in the evolutionary process. The results of this project will provide valuable information to help predict wildlife responses to climate change and support effective conservation management.
Meet the Scientists
Dr. Aurélie Cohas
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and CNRS
Dr. Aurélie Cohas is Assistant Professor for the Laboratory of Biometry and Evolutionary Biology at Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, where she gained her PhD in Evolutionary Ecology. Aurélie’s key research interests are the behavioural ecology of social mammals, with a primary goal of understanding how animal behaviour can influence animal performances, such as survival and reproductive success.
“I find that marmots are an amazing species to work with. There are not very many species like them. With Earthwatch, having people involved in this research makes it more likely to keep going over a number of years. I really enjoy being in the field because it is a different way to share information, and the best way to share with people is to make them part of it. You cannot keep science for the scientists only.”
Marion Tafani
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and CNRS
Marion Tafani is a PhD student at the Laboratory of Biometry and Evolutionary Biology, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. Marion's main research interest is in natural systems response to climate change. She is currently evaluating the potential role of local and global climatic factors on different moments of demographic performance (survival and reproduction) and phenotypic quality, in a vertebrate community with contrasting bio-demographic strategies. Marion works with various alpine species including ibex and marmots, and has participated in monitoring the La Sassière Alpine marmot population since 2009. She holds a Master's Degree in Agricultural Sciences from ENITAB (France) and specialized in ecology, biodiversity and evolution (Agroparistech, France). Marion has previously worked on interactions between agricultural practices and bird abundance, and was involved in community based projects about sustainable development and forestry.
Mariona Ferrandiz
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and CNRS
Mariona Ferrandiz Rovira is a behavioural ecologist, currently undertaking her PhD at the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, where she has carried out research on sperm competition in mammals and studied the role of mate choice in maintaining and promoting genetic diversity in a natural population of Alpine marmots. Since 2007 Mariona has monitored two populations of Alpine marmot, one in the Pyrenees (Catalonia) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; the other in the alpine population monitored in this Earthwatch project. She has also worked in environmental education, and has a good knowledge of nature in the field.
Vérane Berger
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and CNRS
Vérane Berger is a PhD student at the Laboratory of Biometry and Evolutionary Biology, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. She studies the influence of sociality (life in groups) on senescence. Taking into account sociality is a pioneering approach to analyse the process of senescence. She holds a master's degree in Ecology and Evolution at the University Claude Bernard and since 2009, she has participated in monitoring the alpine marmot population. She is involved in several eco-volunteer programs in France as well as abroad.