Research Topic

Biogeography, Macroecology & Ecophylogenetics

In addition to the fundamental interest in understanding the conceptual basis of the organization of ecological systems, the context of global change requires us to rapidly make connections between different disciplines in ecology. In particular, predicting how climate change, exploitation, and uses alter diversity patterns, change species interactions, their distribution, and ecosystem functioning has become a research priority (Mouquet et al. 2015).

I have initiated several research programs to study the distribution of different facets of biological diversity and their congruence in space and time, and contributed to methodological developments to deduce the ecological mechanisms underlying the distribution of species within the framework of metacommunity theory (Leibold et al. 2003). I am also interested in functional rarity and in integrative approaches such as the Ecophylogenetics framework (Mouquet et al. 2012).

Functional Rarity

  1. Mouquet N., Mahaut L., Thuiller W., Auber A., Casajus N., Enquist B.J., Ga"uz`ere P., Loiseau N., Mouillot D., Munoz F., Villeger S., Violle C. (2025). Spatial Insurance of Distinct Ecological Functions. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.70266

  2. Munoz F., Klausmeier C.A., Gauzere P., Kandlikar G.S., Litchman E., Mouquet N., Ostling A., Thuiller W., Algar A.C., Auber A., Cadotte M.W., Delalandre L., Denelle P., Enquist B.J., Fortunel C., Grenie M., Loiseau N., Mahaut L., Maire A., Mouillot D., Pimiento C., Violle C., Kraft N.J.B. (2023). The ecological causes of functional distinctiveness in communities. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.14265

  3. Auber A., Waldock C., Maire A., Goberville E., Albouy C., Algar A.C., McLean M., Brind'Amour A., Green A.L., Tupper M., Vigliola L., Kaschner K., Kesner-Reyes K., Beger M., Tjiputra J., Toussaint A., Violle C., Mouquet N., Thuiller W., Mouillot D. (2022). A functional vulnerability framework for biodiversity conservation. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32331-y

  4. Loiseau N.*, Mouquet N.*, Casajus N., Grenie M., Gueguen M., Maitner B., Mouillot D., Ostling A., Renaud J., Tucker C.M., Velez L., Thuiller W., Violle C. (2020). Global distribution and conservation status of ecologically rare mammal and bird species. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18779-w (* These authors contributed equally to this work)

  5. Violle C., Thuiller W., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Grenie M., Mouillot D. (2017). A Common Toolbox to Understand, Monitor or Manage Rarity? A Response to Carmona et al.. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2017.10.001

  6. Violle C., Thuiller W., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Mouillot D. (2017). Functional Rarity: The Ecology of Outliers. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.002

  7. Mouillot D., Bellwood D.R., Baraloto C., Chave J., Galzin R., Harmelin-Vivien M., Kulbicki M., Lavergne S., Lavorel S., Mouquet N., Paine C.E.T., Renaud J., Thuiller W. (2013). Rare Species Support Vulnerable Functions in High-Diversity Ecosystems. PLoS Biology, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001569

The Different Facets of Biological Diversity

  1. Rault C., Leprieur F., Barbaro L., Kreft H., Mouquet N., Papaix J., Sekercio???lu C.H., Violle C., Barnagaud J. (2023). Trait-environment associations diverge between native and alien breeding bird assemblages on the world's oceanic islands. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/geb.13729

  2. Doxa A., Holon F., Deter J., Villeger S., Boissery P., Mouquet N. (2015). Mapping biodiversity in three-dimensions challenges marine conservation strategies: The example of coralligenous assemblages in North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Ecological Indicators, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.062

  3. Albouy C., Leprieur F., Loc'h F.L., Mouquet N., Meynard C.N., Douzery E., Mouillot D. (2014). Projected impacts of climate warming on the functional and phylogenetic components of coastal Mediterranean fish biodiversity. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01254

  4. Guilhaumon F., Albouy C., Claudet J., Velez L., Lasram F.B.R., Tomasini J., Douzery E., Meynard C.N., Mouquet N., Troussellier M., Araujo M.B., Mouillot D. (2014). Representing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity: new challenges for<scp>M</scp>editerranean marine-protected areas. Diversity and Distributions, doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12280

  5. Mazel F., Guilhaumon F., Mouquet N., Devictor V., Gravel D., Renaud J., Cianciaruso M.V., Loyola R., Diniz-Filho J.A.F., Mouillot D., Thuiller W. (2014). Multifaceted diversity-area relationships reveal global hotspots of mammalian species, trait and lineage diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/geb.12158

  6. Monnet A., Jiguet F., Meynard C.N., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Thuiller W., Devictor V. (2014). Asynchrony of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity in birds. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/geb.12179

  7. Zupan L., Cabeza M., Maiorano L., Roquet C., Devictor V., Lavergne S., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Renaud J., Thuiller W. (2014). Spatial mismatch of phylogenetic diversity across three vertebrate groups and protected areas in Europe. Diversity and Distributions, doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12186

  8. Meynard C.N., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Douzery E. (2012). A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolution of Mediterranean Teleost Fishes. PLoS ONE, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036443

  9. Mouillot D., Albouy C., Guilhaumon F., Lasram F.B.R., Coll M., Devictor V., Meynard C.N., Pauly D., Tomasini J.A., Troussellier M., Velez L., Watson R., Douzery E., Mouquet N. (2011). Protected and Threatened Components of Fish Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. Current Biology, doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.05.005

  10. Devictor V., Mouillot D., Meynard C.N., Jiguet F., Thuiller W., Mouquet N. (2010). Spatial mismatch and congruence between taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity: the need for integrative conservation strategies in a changing world. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01493.x

Patterns & Processes

  1. Flandrin U., Mouquet N., Loiseau N., Hautecoeur C., Maire E., McLean M., Sanchez L., Clausius E., Stuart-Smith R., Edgar G., Albouy C., Cinner J.E., Mouillot D. (2026). Marine protected areas marginally offset anthropogenic declines in tropical reef fish contributions to nature and people. Nature Ecology & Evolution, doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03008-2

  2. McLean M.*, Mouillot D., Langlois J., Arif S., Bejarano S., Casajus N., Edgar G.J., Flandrin U., Guilhaumon F., Judah A.B., Loiseau N., MacNeil M.A., Maire E., Stuart-Smith R.D., Mouquet N.* (2025). Conserving the beauty of the world's reef fish assemblages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2415931122 (* These authors contributed equally to this study)

  3. Mahaut L., Loiseau N., Villeger S., Auber A., Hautecoeur C., Maire A., Mellin C., Mouquet N., Stuart-Smith R.D., Violle C., Mouillot D. (2025). Functional diversity shapes the stability of reef fish biomass under global change. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0252

  4. Letessier T.B., Mouillot D., Mannocci L., Christ H.J., Elamin E.M., Elamin S.M., Friedlander A.M., Hearn A., Juhel J., Kleiven A.R., Moland E., Mouquet N., Kleiven P.J.N., Sala E., Thompson C.D.H., Velez L., Vigliola L., Meeuwig J.J. (2024). Divergent responses of pelagic and benthic fish body-size structure to remoteness and protection from humans. Science, doi.org/10.1126/science.adi7562

  5. Langlois J., Guilhaumon F., Bockel T., Boissery P., Braga C.D.A., Deter J., Holon F., Marre G., Tribot A., Mouquet N. (2021). An integrated approach to estimate aesthetic and ecological values of coralligenous reefs. Ecological Indicators, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107935

  6. Jordani M.X., Mouquet N., Casatti L., Menin M., Rossa-Feres D.d.C., Albert C.H. (2019). Intraspecific and interspecific trait variability in tadpole meta-communities from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. Ecology and Evolution, doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5031

  7. Henckel L., Meynard C.N., Devictor V., Mouquet N., Bretagnolle V. (2019). On the relative importance of space and environment in farmland bird community assembly. PLoS ONE, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213360

  8. Holon F., Marre G., Parravicini V., Mouquet N., Bockel T., Descamp P., Tribot A., Boissery P., Deter J. (2018). A predictive model based on multiple coastal anthropogenic pressures explains the degradation status of a marine ecosystem: Implications for management and conservation. Biological Conservation, doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.006

  9. Cazelles K., Mouquet N., Mouillot D., Gravel D. (2015). On the integration of biotic interaction and environmental constraints at the biogeographical scale. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01714

  10. Gray S.M., Poisot T., Harvey E., Mouquet N., Miller T.E., Gravel D. (2015). Temperature and trophic structure are driving microbial productivity along a biogeographical gradient. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01748

  11. Holon F., Mouquet N., Boissery P., Bouchoucha M., Delaruelle G., Tribot A., Deter J. (2015). Fine-Scale Cartography of Human Impacts along French Mediterranean Coasts: A Relevant Map for the Management of Marine Ecosystems. PLoS ONE, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135473

  12. Matias M.G., Gravel D., Guilhaumon F., Desjardins-Proulx P., Loreau M., Munkemuller T., Mouquet N. (2013). Estimates of species extinctions from species-area relationships strongly depend on ecological context. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2013.00448.x

  13. Moritz C., Meynard C.N., Devictor V., Guizien K., Labrune C., Guarini J., Mouquet N. (2013). Disentangling the role of connectivity, environmental filtering, and spatial structure on metacommunity dynamics. Oikos, doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00377.x

  14. Meynard C.N., Lavergne S., Boulangeat I., Garraud L., Es J.V., Mouquet N., Thuiller W. (2013). Disentangling the drivers of metacommunity structure across spatial scales. Journal of Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12116

  15. Meynard C.N., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Douzery E. (2012). A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolution of Mediterranean Teleost Fishes. PLoS ONE, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036443

  16. Munkemuller T., Bello F.d., Meynard C.N., Gravel D., Lavergne S., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Thuiller W. (2011). From diversity indices to community assembly processes: a test with simulated data. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2011.07259.x

  17. Meynard C.N., Devictor V., Mouillot D., Thuiller W., Jiguet F., Mouquet N. (2011). Beyond taxonomic diversity patterns: how do , and components of bird functional and phylogenetic diversity respond to environmental gradients across France?. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00647.x

Integrative Approaches & Reviews

  1. Flandrin U., Mouillot D., Albouy C., Bejarano S., Casajus N., Cinner J.E., Edgar G.J., Ghilardi M., Leprieur F., Loiseau N., MacNeil A., Maire E., McLean M., Parravicini V., Pellissier L., Schiettekatte N.M.D., Stuart-Smith R.D., Villeger S., Mouquet N. (2024). Fish communities can simultaneously contribute to nature and people across the world's tropical reefs. One Earth, doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.09.011

  2. Mouillot D., Velez L., Albouy C., Casajus N., Claudet J., Delbar V., Devillers R., Letessier T.B., Loiseau N., Manel S., Mannocci L., Meeuwig J.J., Mouquet N., Nuno A., O'Connor L., Parravicini V., Renaud J., Seguin R., Troussellier M., Thuiller W. (2024). The socioeconomic and environmental niche of protected areas reveals global conservation gaps and opportunities. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53241-1

  3. Mouquet N., Langlois J., Casajus N., Auber A., Flandrin U., Guilhaumon F., Loiseau N., McLean M., Receveur A., Stuart-Smith R.D., Mouillot D. (2024). Low human interest for the most at-risk reef fishes worldwide. Science Advances, doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adj9510

  4. Munoz F., Klausmeier C.A., Gauzere P., Kandlikar G.S., Litchman E., Mouquet N., Ostling A., Thuiller W., Algar A.C., Auber A., Cadotte M.W., Delalandre L., Denelle P., Enquist B.J., Fortunel C., Grenie M., Loiseau N., Mahaut L., Maire A., Mouillot D., Pimiento C., Violle C., Kraft N.J.B. (2023). The ecological causes of functional distinctiveness in communities. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.14265

  5. Mouillot D., Loiseau N., Grenie M., Algar A.C., Allegra M., Cadotte M.W., Casajus N., Denelle P., Gueguen M., Maire A., Maitner B., McGill B.J., McLean M., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Thuiller W., Villeger S., Violle C., Auber A. (2021). The dimensionality and structure of species trait spaces. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.13778

  6. Warren B.H., Ricklefs R.E., Thebaud C., Gravel D., Mouquet N. (2019). How Consideration of Islands Has Inspired Mainstream Ecology: Links Between the Theory of Island Biogeography and Some Other Key Theories. Elsevier eBooks, doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.11788-9

  7. Munoz F., Klausmeier C.A., Gauzere P., Kandlikar G.S., Litchman E., Mouquet N., Ostling A., Thuiller W., Algar A.C., Auber A., Cadotte M.W., Delalandre L., Denelle P., Enquist B.J., Fortunel C., Grenie M., Loiseau N., Mahaut L., Maire A., Mouillot D., Pimiento C., Violle C., Kraft N.J.B. (2023). The ecological causes of functional distinctiveness in communities. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.14265

  8. Poisot T., Baiser B., Dunne J.A., Kefi S., Massol F., Mouquet N., Romanuk T.N., Stouffer D.B., Wood S.A., Gravel D. (2015). mangal - making ecological network analysis simple. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/ecog.00976

  9. Mouquet N., Lagadeuc Y., Devictor V., Doyen L., Duputie A., Eveillard D., Faure D., Garnier E., Gimenez O., Huneman P., Jabot F., Jarne P., Joly D., Julliard R., Kefi S., Kergoat G.J., Lavorel S., Gall L.L., Meslin L., Morand S., Morin X., Morlon H., Pinay G., Pradel R., Schurr F.M., Thuiller W., Loreau M. (2015). Predictive ecology in a changing world. Journal of Applied Ecology, doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12482

  10. Hubert N., Calcagno V., Etienne R.S., Mouquet N. (2015). Metacommunity speciation models and their implications for diversification theory. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.12458

  11. Warren B.H., Simberloff D., Ricklefs R.E., Aguilee R., Condamine F.L., Gravel D., Morlon H., Mouquet N., Rosindell J., Casquet J., Conti E., Cornuault J., Fernandez-Palacios J.M., Hengl T., Norder S.J., Rijsdijk K.F., Sanmartin I., Strasberg D., Triantis K.A., Valente L., Whittaker R.J., Gillespie R.G., Emerson B.C., Thebaud C. (2015). Islands as model systems in ecology and evolution: prospects fifty years after MacArthur-Wilson. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.12398

  12. Thuiller W., Munkemuller T., Lavergne S., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Schiffers K., Gravel D. (2013). A road map for integrating eco-evolutionary processes into biodiversity models. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.12104

  13. Mouquet N., Devictor V., Meynard C.N., Munoz F., Bersier L., Chave J., Couteron P., Dalecky A., Fontaine C., Gravel D., Hardy O.J., Jabot F., Lavergne S., Leibold M.A., Mouillot D., Munkemuller T., Pavoine S., Prinzing A., Rodrigues A.S.L., Rohr R.P., Thebault E., Thuiller W. (2012). Ecophylogenetics: advances and perspectives. Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2012.00224.x

  14. Poisot T., Canard E., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Gravel D. (2012). The dissimilarity of species interaction networks. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.12002

  15. Rolland J., Cadotte M.W., Davies J., Devictor V., Lavergne S., Mouquet N., Pavoine S., Rodrigues A.S.L., Thuiller W., Turcati L., Winter M., Zupan L., Jabot F., Morlon H. (2011). Using phylogenies in conservation: new perspectives. Biology Letters, doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2011.1024

  16. Gravel D., Massol F., Canard E., Mouillot D., Mouquet N. (2011). Trophic theory of island biogeography. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01667.x

  17. Lavergne S., Mouquet N., Thuiller W., Ronce O. (2010). Biodiversity and Climate Change: Integrating Evolutionary and Ecological Responses of Species and Communities. Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-102209-144628

Other topic pages

Aesthetics iconBiodiversity Aesthetics Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning iconBiodiversity & Ecosystem Functioning Experimental evolution iconExperimental Evolution Functional biogeography iconFunctional Biogeography Functional rarity iconFunctional Rarity Metacommunities iconMetacommunities Metaecosystems iconMetaecosystems Nature for Future iconNature for Future Reviews and synthesis iconReviews and Synthesis Trophic biogeography and metaweb iconTrophic Biogeography & Metaweb Biodiful iconBiodiful OutreachOutreach CollaboratorsCollaborators