My research at ISEM aims to understand the evolution of plant-insect interactions to analyze ecosystem changes over time.
I study the morphological marks of herbivory and galls on Eurasian fossil leaves from the last 50 million years to reconstruct the trophic structure of past ecosystems; to this end, I also collaborate with the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.
Furthermore, to better interpret the observations made on fossil material, I examine how taphonomic processes affect different types of interactions on modern leaves, in order to deduce the implications for interpreting the traces observed in fossils.
In parallel, I use multispectral imaging techniques to observe the preservation of porphyrin-type molecules (resulting from the decomposition of chlorophyll), which are indicators of plant stress notably related to herbivory; and I map certain chemical elements involved in reaction processes linked to herbivory. To this end, I also collaborate with UAR3461 IPANEMA at the SOLEIL Synchrotron.
Finally, I study the biogeographical history of certain relict plant species (Arcto-Tertiary) and the very specific types of interactions that are strictly associated with them. The goal is to determine whether these interactions share the same biogeographical history as the host plant species.
All of my research is based on fossil and current materials covering mainly three geographical areas: the Mediterranean Basin, the Caucasus, and Southeast Asia.