Microclimate & genomics in SDMs

The current global warming greatly impacts biodiversity and species distribution, forcing species to migrate and/or adapt at an unprecedented level. Therefore, understanding and forecasting these processes at a fine scale is key to optimize conservation strategies. This project, called MICROMICS, focuses both on MICROclimate research and genoMICS of plant species to gain insights into how species respond to the changing environment. MICROMICS investigates the different aspects of climate change vulnerability (i.e. exposure, sensitivity, adaptability and dispersal) by combining high-resolution drone remote sensing and genomic techniques, like next-generation parentage analysis. Implementing both approaches greatly increases the forecasting accuracy of species distribution models and thus the fine scale and wide-range species dynamics. Researchers: Christophe Metsu and Lore Hostens