Islands are hotspots for endemic species but also epicenters of biodiversity loss. In my PhD research, I am exploring the dynamic processes that drive the formation and loss of island biodiversity over time, with a focus on bird and mammal species across islands worldwide. Using macroecological and macroevolutionary approaches, I am investigating how speciation, extinction, and colonization processes shape species diversity on islands over ecological and evolutionary timescales. Additionally, I am examining how island phylogenetic diversity has been lost at different stages of human history, from early indigenous settlement to European colonization and ongoing anthropogenic pressures. By analysing these temporal dynamics, my research will provide valuable insights into how biodiversity is shaped by both natural processes and anthropogenic impacts, offering guidance for the conservation of threatened island species.
Keywords
Island Biogeography, Macroecology, Bird, Mammal, Conservation, Anthropogenic Extinction