Local adaptation process is determinant for survival of species in their environment, particularly for species with a low-mobility capability, for example plants.  Thus, I am particularly interested in the interplay between abiotic and biotic factors driving plant community local adaptation and survival behaviors in landscapes.

 

My research focuses on European phylogeography of cold-adapted species, growing in rocky areas.

 

The main goal of my project is to contextualize the local adaptations and survival behavior of rocky cold-adapted species threw History. Being particularly endangered species by the current climate warming, cold-adapted species are very interesting as their hypothetical long-term range fragmentation is an important factor for strong local adaptation behavior.

 

I will particularly focus on the place occupied by the Jura mountains for survival of cold-adapted species, compared to other mountainous areas of Europe. Situated at the periphery of the geographical range for several of these species, the Jura mountains are scattered by multiple calcareous cliffs, that shelters relictual cold-adapted orophyte and arctic-alpine communities since the Pleistocene climatic oscillations. 

The unique genetical reservoir that orophyte and arctic-alpine jurassian communities  could constitute confers them a crucial importance for the long-term survival of these species.

 

M. Diallo, MSc en Biogéosciences, University of Neuchâtel 

 

 “Les Pionnières" award - Buisness and Professionnal Women (BPW) Switzerland organization

 

Gaylord Desurmont, Stéphanie Morelon and Betty Benrey – « First insights into the chemical ecology of an invasive pest: Olfactory preferences of the viburnum leaf beetle Pyrrhalta viburni  Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) » - Environmental Entomology web.version

 

Xoaquín Moreira, William K. Petry, Johnattan Hernández‐Cumplido, Stéphanie Morelon and Betty Benrey – « Plant defence responses to volatile alert signals are population‐specific » - OIKOS -125 (7) : 950 – 956 web version