Following an open call for applicants in July, we are pleased to welcome 30 new Associate Editors to the Methods in Ecology and Evolution Editorial Board. The researchers joining us span 16 different countries, including our first editors working in Iran, Italy and Portugal. Find out more about them below.

We are really delighted to have further expanded the expertise on our board so that we can continue to promote the development of new methods in ecology and evolution.

Welcome to the team!

Miguel Acevedo He/Him
University of Florida, USA

I am a quantitative population ecologist interested in understanding the eco-evolutionary processes of populations in disequilibrium with their environment. This includes changes in species distributions of birds, mammals and epiphytes as they respond to climate change or anthropogenic pressures. In this work I combine camera traps or automated recording systems with occupancy modeling. I also combine theoretical, capture mark-recapture models, and population models study how animals re-colonize secondary forests in the tropics. Lastly, I enjoy collaborating with industrial engineers developing quantitative applications for conservation planning including network deterministic optimization models for spatial prioritization.

Francisco Balao He/Him
University of Seville, Spain

My research interest is mainly focused on how plant genomes interacts with its environment across ecological and evolutionary timescale. I try to elucidate the mechanistic bases of the biodiversity through studies of molecular phylogenetics and phylogenomics, phylogeography,cytogenetics, ecophysiology, transcriptomics and reproductive biology. I’m particularly interested in applying new methodological improvements to the study of the polyploidy and hybridization in plants.

Phil Bouchet He/Him
University of St Andrews, UK

I am a quantitative ecologist interested in the application of statistical models to solve pressing wildlife conservation problems. My research focuses on the development of novel field and analytical/computational methods for quantifying the distribution, behaviour, and abundance of animal populations in response to human threats and management interventions. My background is in marine ecology, with a strong emphasis on large marine vertebrates such as cetaceans. I am also interested in theoretical advances (e.g., systematic reviews, standard protocols, simulation studies, etc.) that can improve ecological modelling practice.

Emma Carroll She/Her
University of Auckland, New Zealand

I am a molecular ecologist and statistical modeller who uses genomics, stable isotopes, life history and statistical models to investigate and monitor natural populations. In doing so I aim to provide information for conservation and management, particularly of endangered species, including current and historical abundance and population demographic parameters. A particular focus of my research is the impact of animal behaviour on connectivity and patterns of genetic diversity.

Luis Cayuela Delgado He/Him
Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain

I am an applied ecologist with broad interests in community ecology, biodiversity conservation, pest population dynamics and the study of human impacts on natural ecosystems, with particular emphasis on tropical environments. Throughout my research career I have developed a strong background in data analyses. My current research is mostly focused on understanding patterns of species diversity in tropical forests and the ecological assembly rules that drive species co-occurence in biological communities.

Claudia Coleine She/Her
University of Tuscia, Italy

I am a computational microbiologist interested in understanding how global warming and habitat loss affect global ecosystems, particularly in drylands. I am particularly interested in questions about the abundance, distributions, diversity and extinction risk of microbial species. Most of my current research is based on the use of high-throughput DNA sequencing (including amplicon sequencing, genomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics) and bioinformatics to study microbial community ecology and the biogeography of extremophiles and extreme-tolerant microorganisms.

Aldo Compagnoni He/Him
Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

I am a quantitative population ecologist focusing on the effect of climate on plants. My research often leverages long-term demographic data to test demographic theory, or to perform ecological forecasts. Moreover, I perform comparative analyses and field experiments. This research led to interests in generalized linear models, Bayesian statistics, R coding, and database design.

Camille Desjonquères She/Her
University of St Andrews, UK

I study the ecology and evolution of acoustic communication. I strive to understand how the biotic and abiotic environment affect acoustic signalling in animals. I am particularly interested in the dynamics of acoustic communities and the effect of social interactions on acoustic signals. I am currently conducting two main lines of research: developping methods of passive acoustic monitoring in various environments and in particular in freshwater environments; and understanding the role of socially mediated plasticity in rapid adaptation and reproductive isolation.

Pablo Duchen He/Him
University of Lausanne, Switzerland

I am an evolutionary biologist interested in the evolution of adaptation at both the genomic and phenotypic level, and in the interactions between these two levels. I study these evolutionary processes with a combination of theory, computer simulations, and experimental data. In doing so, I pay particular attention to the role of demographic changes in populations, since they are known to confound the genomic footprint of natural selection. I am particularly interested in linking micro- with macro-evolution by taking demographic processes into account.

Paul Galpern He/Him
University of Calgary, Canada

As a landscape ecologist, I focus on the relationship between semi-natural habitats and ecosystem services in agricultural systems, and on the role of insects in providing these services. I also work on questions related to pollinator conservation, and on managing the risks to the persistence of wild bees at landscape scales. In my conservation research I have developed several computational methods to support spatial genetic and landscape connectivity assessments. Additionally, I am particularly interested in applying emerging spatial data streams (e.g., from smartphones and from precision agriculture) as tools for measuring nature’s contribution to people.

Adrian Gleiss He/Him
Murdoch University, Australia

I find it difficult to put myself into any particular category, however, I am most happy to work at the intersection of behavioural and physiological ecology. My research aims to uncover the mechanistic basis for various aspects of whole animal biology from form and function to distribution. I am particularly interested in emerging novel methods to quantify locomotor performance and capacity of free ranging animals.

Lynsey Harper She/Her
Liverpool John Moores University, UK

I am an aquatic ecologist with a strong interest in both freshwater and marine ecosystems, community ecology, and the development of new tools for biodiversity monitoring. I am keen to advance environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, both targeted and metabarcoding approaches, in terms of methodological development, standardisation, and application to ecological questions in order to better inform biodiversity conservation, management and policy in a changing world. My previous research has ranged in focus from distribution and conservation assessments for single species to factors influencing community structure using conventional and molecular tools. My current research focuses on metabarcoding of “natural sampler” DNA (nsDNA) from marine sponges and will evaluate the potential applications and limitations of this method for marine biodiversity assessment.

Lian Pin Koh He/Him
National University of Singapore, Singapore

I am an applied ecologist interested in the use of nature-based solutions to address climate change and other environmental challenges. My approach includes a combination of ecological theory, field studies, land use modelling and novel conservation technologies.

Hooman Latifi He/Him
K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Iran

I am a remote sensing expert with the primary research interest in spatiotemporal analysis of forest structure, biodiversity and health indicators by means of spaceborne and airborne data sources. Moreover, I am interested to analyze three-dimensional sources of aerial data for better understanding both tree and gap structures in forest habitats. Other fields in which I am deeply interested include phenology-based approaches for monitoring vegetation health, as well as retrieval of alpha-, beta- and gamma-diversities of plant communities by means of remote sensing data.

Aline Magdalena Lee She/Her
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

I am a quantitative ecologist interested in stochastic population and community dynamics. Currently, my main focus is on how species interactions influence the dynamics of multi-species systems in fluctuating environments. More broadly, I use theoretical modeling, often combined with empirical data analysis, to study how spatio-temporal population dynamics and genetics are influenced by various types of population structure, demography, life history, stochasticity and environmental factors. I also have an interest in improving our ability to extract information from limited data through modeling tools, such as integrated population models.

Antonino Malacrino He/Him
Ohio State University

I’m a molecular ecologist interested in insect- and plant-associated microbiomes. My approach combines molecular techniques (metabarcoding, metagenomics, transcriptomics, metatranscriptomics) and bioinformatics tools to understand how microbiomes influence their host, and how microorganisms help invasive species to adapt to new environments.

Sarah Marley She/Her
University of Portsmouth, UK

I am a marine biologist specialising in marine megafauna ecology. My research focuses on various aspects of animal behaviour, bioacoustics, and anthropogenic disturbance. To address these topics, I utilise a combination of field and quantitative techniques, including acoustic recorders, boat- and land-based surveys, remote sensing, and citizen science. I am particularly interested in novel methods for collecting and analysing data.



Javier Palarea-Albaladejo He/Him
Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, UK

I am a statistician broadly interested in the development and application of data analysis and statistical modelling methods in interdisciplinary scientific research; with experience ranging from experimental design to advanced data analysis and modelling across the animal, environmental and health sciences. My main focus is on multivariate methods, particular compositional data analysis where I have worked on methods and software for censored and missing data, the compositional formulation of common statistical models, and the introduction of the methodology into varied areas of the natural and life sciences.

Jose Miguel Poncianio He/Him
University of Florida, USA

I am an interdisciplinary scientist —and an ecologist, evolutionary biologist and statistician whose area of specialization is statistical inference for stochastic processes in Ecology and Evolution. I use modern statistical techniques and stochastic processes theory to propose new ideas, solve practical and theoretical problems in population (extinction) dynamics, model the interplay between ecology and evolution in microbial populations and propose novel approaches in statistical phylogenetics. My research also seeks to challenge current paradigms in statistical science as they apply to ecology, evolution and indeed other disciplines. These topics all involve stochasticity at a fundamental level and bridge the gap between theory and very practical questions. Markovian State-Space models and hierarchical models are quantitative tools that I use often in my research.    

Arthur Porto He/Him
University of Oslo, Norway

I am an evolutionary biologist interested in understanding the evolvability of complex organisms, with particular emphasis on the role of modularity and developmental constraints in shaping multivariate evolution. In order to do so, I develop and implement computer vision methods aimed at increasing the scale, speed, and reproducibility of morphometric research. I am particularly interested in using novel imaging techniques and large-scale (phenomic) datasets to answer questions at the cutting-edge of evolutionary research.

Nalini Puniamoorthy She/Her
National University of Singapore, Singapore

I am an evolutionary biologist interested in the role of ecological and sexual selection in driving speciation. Based in Southeast Asia, I work on both well-established insect models as well as non-model systems to investigate pre- and postcopulatory mechanisms of reproductive isolation, in both cryptic species complexes as well as widespread populations undergoing incipient speciation. Specifically, I work on integrating population and functional genomics data with ecological, morphological and even behavioural data to study processes involved in diversification.

Kate Quigley She/Her
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Australia

I am a molecular ecologist and Research Scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science investigating the genomic basis of stress tolerance, adaptation, and resilience in corals on the Great Barrier Reef and their associated symbionts. I use ‘omics (population genomic, transcriptomic, metagenomic) tools and coral reproductive biology in conjunction with field, experimental, and modelling methods to understand what makes some corals resistant to heat stress while others are more vulnerable. I am currently examining the feasibility of large-scale restoration interventions, namely Assisted Gene Flow (AGF), to increase heat tolerance in corals. As a National Geographic Explorer, I am also working to establish partnerships with Traditional Owner communities along the Great Barrier Reef to understand support and social licensing for genetic interventions for conservation through dialogue, engagement, and knowledge sharing.

Chloe Robinson She/Her
University of Guelph, Canada

I am an ecologist who is interested in understanding the health of habitats and ecosystems through assessing biodiversity and ecological assemblages. In doing so, I develop and apply non-invasive techniques (DNA- and acoustics-based) and use community ecology statistics to generate and analyse biodiversity information. I am particularly interested in combining community-based monitoring and environmental stewardship with non-invasive sampling to address ecological data deficiencies for freshwater systems. 

Sarab Sethi He/Him
Imperial College London, UK

My research focuses on creating novel tools and methods for scalable autonomous ecological monitoring, with a particular focus on eco-acoustics. I have worked on both data collection, developing technology for fully autonomous sensor networks, and data analysis, using machine learning to extract ecological information from soundscapes. I am also interested in cross-disciplinary time-series analysis approaches.

Carlos Alberto Silva He/Him
University of Florida, USA

I am a quantitative forest ecologist interested in understanding how ecosystems change over time due to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and their impact on the carbon cycle. My core research consists of developing statistical frameworks and cutting-edge open-source tools, such as rLiDAR, ForestGapR and rGEDI, for remote sensing data processing and forest resources mapping. I am particularly interested in using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data, from airborne, terrestrial, and satellite platforms, combined with advanced statistical methods to answer ecological questions related to forest ecosystem structure, function, and composition at a variety of spatial scales.

Gavin Simpson He/Him
University of Regina, Canada

I am a statistical ecologist interested in understanding ecosystem responses to natural and anthropogenic environmental change at a range of spatial and temporal scales; from local to global scale, from minutes to millennia. I’m particularly interested in using penalised splines and related methods to develop novel approaches for modelling complex, irregular time series. I’m especially interested in using m odern statistical methods to make linkages between ecological theory and the practical evaluation of that theory using real world data.

Giovanni Strona He/Him
University of Helsinki, Finland

I am a quantitative ecologist working at the interface between ecology, computer science and physics, trying to unravel the mechanisms controlling the responses of complex natural systems to the multi-faceted threats of Global Change. I am particularly interested in how the effects of diversity loss can propagate through species interaction networks, and in how co-evolutionary and ecological factors can affect this process.



Raquel Vasconcelos She/Her
University of Porto, Portugal

My work focus in Conservation Genetics, Island Biogeography and Integrative Taxonomy. I am interested in combining genetic data with ecological modelling techniques and morphological data for assisting conservation planning using island reptiles as privileged models. Recently, I am interested in (meta)barcoding as a tool to uncover cryptic diversity and ecological information. In parallel with my research, I have been deeply involved in promoting academic training and capacity building, as well as developing outreach activities to non-scientific audiences.

Marta Vidal-Garcia She/Her
University of Calgary, Canada

I am an evolutionary biologist whose interests stem from the relationship between form and function. My research has been focused on identifying the macroevolutionary patterns that drive morphological diversity across clades, using various different vertebrate and invertebrate study systems. Recently I have expanded my research to understanding the developmental and genetic bases of phenotypic variation. I use a combination of methods to answer these questions, including morphometrics, comparative methods, and machine learning approaches.

Thomas White He/Him
University of Sydney, Australia

I’m an evolutionary ecologist with a particular interest in questions of behaviour, sensory ecology, and communication. My research is motivated by a desire to understand life’s diversity, and I spend my time using lab and field experiments, modelling, and meta-analysis to test and refine theory. I also enjoy exploring methods for analysing colour and vision in nature, as well as developing open software that improves the accessibility of such tools.