Rui Bento Elias

My research focuses on (1) ecology and dynamics of islands ecosystems, namely the factors that determine the composition and distribution of vascular plant communities, and the dynamics of native vegetation; and (2) biodiversity conservation, namely the impact of climate change, invasive species and habitat changes on the biodiversity of native island vascular plants and ecosystems. My current research is driven by the following fundamental questions for island biology (Patiño et al. 2017): How can we best implement long-term monitoring schemes on islands to provide quantitative evidence of changes within island ecological systems? What are the best strategies for in situ conservation of island species impacted by non-native species? How can conservation interests best be integrated with other island stakeholder interests (particularly tourism) on populated islands?