- Academic title:
- dr. habil.
- Position:
- Assistant Professor
- Scientific groups:
- Trophic Ecology Group
- Habilitation: University of Łódź
- PhD: Warsaw University, Biology Department
- MSc: Swedish Agricultural University (SLU), Southern Swedish Forest Research Center, Alnarp
- MSc: Poznań University of Life Sciences, Department of Forestry
- Community ecology
- Effects of large mammals on ecosystem functioning
- Plant-herbivore interactions
- Consumer-resource interactions
- Behavioural ecology
- Effects of predation on plant-herbivore interactions
- Experimental ecology
- Development of methods and applications to analyse, store and manage photo- and video-trapping data
Europe is currently experiencing a strong wildlife revival and populations of mammalian herbivores are increasing strongly. Although large mammalian fauna is suggested to be a central driver of ecosystem functioning, we actually have a very poor understanding of the impact of these increasing populations. How will increasing populations of mammalian herbivores shape the future European forest ecosystems? Most of the knowledge on consumer-controlled woody vegetation comes from southern hemisphere grasslands and savannas, where combined effects of fire and herbivory has been shown to shape the structure and function of this biome. This view acknowledges that in many parts of the world strongly contrasting vegetation states, open grassland or closed forest, may occur under the same climatic conditions. These areas are also termed ‘ecosystems uncertain’, where ‘uncertainty’ is attributed to the potentially strong, controlling role of biomass consumers in these ecosystems – fire and/or herbivores. In my research I attempt to understand what are the effects of top down forces, such as large herbivores and fires on woody vegetation in the temperate zone.
- 2024, 2025 - Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des végétations (AMAP), Montpellier, France - visiting researcher.2023 - Nordens Ark Foundation, Sweden – ‘Research Associate’ position.
2023 - Nordens Ark Foundation, (Sweden), study visit and project implementation: "Interactions between fire and grazing and their impact on biodiversity in the temperate zone".
2021 - Nordens Ark Foundation (Sweden), project implementation: "Interactions between fire and grazing and their impact on biodiversity in the temperate zone/”.
2019 - Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö – VFM, SLU Umeå, Sweden – visiting researcher, within NCN Miniatura grant.
2018-2026 - Open Science Conservation Fund – Founder and vice-chairmen: www.os-conservation.org
2016 - Nordens Ark Foundation (Szwecja), realizacja projektu: “Grazing and fire – key processes for biodiversity restoration in the temperate zone”.
2016 - Yerevan State University (Armenia), wizyta ekspercka w projekcie dotyczącym ochrony rysia w Parku Narodowym „Dilidżan”.
2015 - Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża (MRI PAS) – assistant professor position.
2015 - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Alnarp; teaching an international MSc course every year: ‘Broadleaves - Forest dynamics, biodiversity and management for multiple use.’
2006-2010 - lecturer at Summer School in Ecology and Biodiversity BIOSEB organised by the Mammal Research Institute PAS in Białowieża;
2009-2015 - Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża (MRI PAS) - research assistant, PhD student.
2024-2029 Do wolves increase temperate forest tree diversity?; National Science Center 2024/55/b/nz8/01668, konkurs OPUS; Primary Investigator.
2024-2027 - Developing data management and analytical tools to integrate and advance professional and citizen science camera-trapping initiatives across Europe.; BIODIVERSA+ - collaborator MRI PAS.
2022-2026 - Are wolves losing their fear of humans? Changes in wolf behaviour and their consequences for prey species in human-dominated landscapes; National Science Center 2020/37/B/NZ8/01104, OPUS) - collaborator.
2023-2025 - The impact of predators on the distribution of ticks; National Science Center, Polonez BIS 2022/47/P/NZ8/0126; scientific advisor.
2022-2027 - The multilevel impact of predation-induced stress in ungulates on the functioning of the temperate forest ecosystem; National Science Center MAESTRO 2021/42/A/NZ8/00126; collaborator.
2021-2024 - Improving ecological connectivity in Karkonosze National Park and its buffer zone: Co-financed from funds provided by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway under the EEA Financial Mechanism (Norwegian Funds); Research team member representing the Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, a partner in the consortium implementing the project:
“Implementation of a camera trap monitoring system to assess animal space use in Karkonosze National Park and its buffer zone”.
2018-2022 ‘Can wolves regulate mesocarnivore behaviour, spatial distribution and temporal activity patterns in anthropogenic landscapes in Poland?’; funding: National Science Centre 2015/17/B/NZ8/02403, OPUS; function: collaborator.
2018-2019 – MRI PAS, National Science Center (NCN) grant ‘Miniatura’ nr 2018/02/X/NZ8/01672 The effects of predation and anthropogenic pressure on the red-deer (Cervus elaphus) diet using DNA-metabarcoding – Primary Investigator.
2018-2021 Schalenwildmonitoring in den deutschen Nationalparken“ (FKZ: 3518 83 0200) – Ungulates monitoring in the German National Parks - co-applicant and collaborator.
2016-2019 ‘Landscape of fear in closed-canopy forests: combined effects of tree logs and wolves on regeneration of palatable and less palatable tree species’; funding: National Science Centre 2015/17/B/NZ8/02403, OPUS competition - collaborator.
2016-2023 Nordens Ark Foundation, MRI PAS, SLU Alnarp (Sweden). Hasselbladh Research Fund grant: Grazing and fire – key processes for biodiversity restoration in the temperate zone – project co-leader.
2013-2016 ‘Trophic cascades in European temperate forests; non-lethal effects of large carnivores on ungulate-tree interactions’; funding: National Science Centre 2012/05/B/NZ8/01010, OPUS competition; function: collaborator.
2008-2011 “Forest regeneration in a gradient of light intensity and ungulate browsing pressure in Białowieża Primeval Forest” – project leader (the reference number: N309137335).
2007-2010 “Fire history and its influence on the present Białowieża Primeval Forest structure.” MRI PAS, Białowieża - collaborator (the reference number: KBN N309 013 31/1718).