Eco-Connect - Ecological Connectivity & Conservation

In Eco-Connect – Ecological Connectivity & Conservation Research Group, we aim to understand how ecological connectivity shapes biodiversity patterns, population dynamics, and ecosystem functioning across spatial and temporal scales, and to translate this knowledge into effective conservation action.

We work with a diverse range of taxa, including migratory birds and sea turtles. Our research focuses on movement ecology and connectivity across regions, habitats and ecosystems, as well as how these connections are altered by human activities and global change.

We use a broad suite of complementary approaches, including animal tracking technologies (e.g. satellite telemetry and light-level geolocators), foraging ecology, genetics and genomics, stable isotope analysis, movement and network analyses, and long-term monitoring, to address key questions such as:

• How do animal movement and connectivity structure populations and ecosystems?
• Which areas and pathways are critical for migratory and highly mobile species?
• How can limited or fragmented data be used to identify conservation priorities?
• How do climate change and other human pressures disrupt and/or reshape ecological connections?

A core pillar of EcoConnect is translating scientific knowledge into conservation practice

We engage with decision-makers, conservation practitioners, NGOs, and collaborative international networks to integrate our research into management, spatial planning, and policy. Our work contributes to identifying conservation priority sites, supports regional and international conservation agreements, and strengthens evidence-based decision-making.

We place strong emphasis on collaboration, capacity building, and participatory conservation, particularly in regions with high biodiversity and limited data availability. Through training, partnerships, and science communication, we aim to empower local institutions and stakeholders while fostering long-term conservation impact.

Eco-Connect operates from local to global scales, engaging in international research networks and multidisciplinary collaborations to better understand and protect the ecological connections that sustain biodiversity in a rapidly changing world.