Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS
Topic
Spatial modeling of plant species distribution expansion and landscape ecological connectivity in the context of climate change and biological invasions
PhD. program
botany
Year of admission
2026
Name of the supervisor
RNDr. Dušan Senko, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Natural Sciences Comenius University
Annotation
The spatial distribution of plant species directly reflects their ecological requirements, historical factors, and ability to respond to changing environmental conditions. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the availability of occurrence data and geographic data sources, such as aerial and satellite imagery, digital elevation models, soil and climate maps, and Earth observation products. These data enable the application of modern Species Distribution Models (SDMs, using multiple algorithms) to predict both current and future species distributions.
The doctoral research will focus on the development and comparison of SDMs for selected plant species (particularly invasive or potentially invasive species) in Central Europe and the Carpathian region. Trained models will be used to identify potential new occurrence sites and to predict changes in species distributions by the years 2050 and 2070 under different climate scenarios. Special attention will be paid to the assessment of landscape ecological connectivity, its changes resulting from fragmentation and human activities (urbanization, infrastructure development, agricultural intensification, forestry), and its importance for species spread. The research will integrate environmental data, Earth observation data, and, where available, genetic or population information with the aim of developing a spatially explicit assessment of the risk of future biological invasions. The topic reflects current challenges in biodiversity conservation and is aligned with international research initiatives focused on anticipating and assessing the risks of biological invasions under climate change, while providing practical recommendations for nature conservation and landscape management.
The doctoral research will focus on the development and comparison of SDMs for selected plant species (particularly invasive or potentially invasive species) in Central Europe and the Carpathian region. Trained models will be used to identify potential new occurrence sites and to predict changes in species distributions by the years 2050 and 2070 under different climate scenarios. Special attention will be paid to the assessment of landscape ecological connectivity, its changes resulting from fragmentation and human activities (urbanization, infrastructure development, agricultural intensification, forestry), and its importance for species spread. The research will integrate environmental data, Earth observation data, and, where available, genetic or population information with the aim of developing a spatially explicit assessment of the risk of future biological invasions. The topic reflects current challenges in biodiversity conservation and is aligned with international research initiatives focused on anticipating and assessing the risks of biological invasions under climate change, while providing practical recommendations for nature conservation and landscape management.