Biography

Trained in molecular (population, evolutionary and landscape genetics), spatial (species distribution modeling) and chemical (GC/MS analysis of toxins and scents of feces) ecology during her early career (PhD at the University of Lausanne and postdoc at the University of Salzburg), Véronique Helfer (ZMT, Mangrove Ecology) left the alpine environment and its alpine salamanders in 2014 to explore mangrove ecosystems in the tropics.

For this new study system, she still combines molecular (mainly eDNA metabarcoding), chemical (py-GC/MS of leaves and sediments) and spatial ecology to understand and predict ecosystem processes and services of mangroves under global change.

Convinced that efficient conservation measures strongly rely on sound scientific knowledge, she wants to actively contribute to the translation of fundamental science findings into practical conservation measures, which is why she engaged with enthusiasm in the PADDLE project.