Dr. Vivien Louppe

About my story and my research

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I am an evolutionary ecologist with a multidisciplinary background, aiming to understand how species disperse, adapt, and diversify in response to both abiotic and biotic factors. My research integrates functional morphology, physiology, genetics, and ecological modeling to explore how life-history traits influence species’ ability to cope with environmental change.

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A major focus of my work has been biological invasions, which provide exceptional models for studying ecological and evolutionary processes. I have investigated the roles of morphological and physiological traits—such as metabolic rate and locomotor performance—in shaping the invasion dynamics of species like the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), revealing spatial sorting mechanisms that favor high-mobility individuals at the invasion front.

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During my PhD, I extended these questions to invasive mammals, including the small Indian mongoose and the northern raccoon. I used 3D geometric morphometrics to study shape variation across native and introduced populations, and applied species distribution and occupancy models to identify environmental drivers of their spread. I also examined how introduction history and intraspecific variation affect population structure, using molecular markers to reconstruct colonization events in island systems.

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Currently, my research investigates the links between rates of morphological evolution, environmental variation, and species diversification in Caudata (salamanders and newts). These studies combine CT imaging and phylogenetic approaches to understand how developmental variation and long-term environmental fluctuations shape phenotypic and lineage diversification.

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Throughout my work, I have developed a broad technical skillset and a comparative framework that allow me to address complex questions at the interface of ecology and evolution. I am particularly interested in the interplay between form, function, and environment, and in applying these insights to biodiversity conservation and to understanding species’ responses to global change.