Research groups

Wetlands are highly complex habitats harbouring a diverse range of species interacting with each other. One of the most important interactions is vector-mediated propagule dispersal, which allows species survival in a patchy landscape such as wetlands. Waterbirds represent one of the most important dispersal vectors for all organisms living in freshwater ecosystems. To decouple these interactions in dispersal of different organisms mediated by waterbirds, we plan to apply individual and multilayer network analysis. We aim to sample at different trophic levels: viruses, microbes, freshwater phytoplankton, higher plants, and freshwater invertebrates. By employing this approach, we expect to shed light on the large range of interactions of organisms that waterbirds disperse. This allows us to identify key species maintaining the dispersal network, while the use of multilayer approach will identify key wetland patches. In the face of climate change and anthropogenic habitat deterioration it is very important to protect wetlands, which requires the knowledge on the interactions of organisms living in them. Moreover, it is necessary to develop a unified view of how species and their interactions maintain ecosystem functioning on complex patchy wetlands. This will help to preserve wetlands for which the multilayer approach provides the most valuable tool to explore.