Island biodiversity and human impact

Island faunas differ from those on the mainland. Endemic species live here isolated from competing species and free from terrestrial predators. They often evolve unique and sometimes bizarre adaptations. When humans settle on the islands, this unique biodiversity is in peril

But what species live on which islands, and how many? What function do their unique adaptations have? How do island features such as geography impact their evolution? Which species go extinct after human arrival and when? What is the nature of interaction between endemic faunas and humans? This project aims at identifying and explaining the nature of island biotas and the impact of humans.

A.A.E. (Alexandra) van der Geer

Postdoctoral researcher
Vertebrate evolution, development and ecology

alexandra.vandergeer@naturalis.nl