About
Since my undergrad studies, I attempted to link plant ecology and biogeography with anthropogenic factors. This interest culminated in investigating the distribution of humans themselves during my PhD. In parallel, I kept working on plants, focusing on non-native species. Currently, my research areas are biological invasions and human geography.
Research interests
Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. Exploring non-native plant distributions and their impacts can help conservation bodies in the decision-making process. I am particularly interested in coastal ecosystems, whether lacustrine, riparian or insular, and the effect of disturbances originated by water bodies on the alien flora. In other words, I work where the land meets the water.
Human Biogeography
While we investigated the insular distribution of virtually every known taxon, we know surprisingly little about the island biogeography of modern humans. I focus on contrasting human and non-human insular population patterns and exploring the interplay between biology and culture, geography and history in defining how humans inhabit islands.
Publications
The island biogeography of human population size
Fabio Mologni, Kevin C. Burns
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 290, 2023, p. 20222084
F. Mologni
Frontiers of Biogeography, 2022
F. Mologni, P. Bellingham, E. K. Cameron, K. Dinh, A. Wright, K. Burns
Biological Invasions, 2022
F. Mologni, P. Bellingham, E. Tjørve, E. K. Cameron, A. Wright, K. Burns, F. Munoz
Journal of Biogeography, 2021
Projects
Plant Invasions in British Columbia’s Riparian Ecosystems
Goal: quantify the cumulative impacts of invasive species in British Columbia’s foreshore and riparian ecosystems, with the aim of informing provincial research priorities, policies and management decisions.
Plant Invasions on Northern New Zealand Offshore Island
Goal: to investigate relationships between non-native and island characteristics and the interplay with plant traits and life histories. The aim is to provide management strategies to conservation bodies.
The Island Biogeography of Humans
We know how most species are distributed across islands, yet we know surprisingly little about humans. The goal of this project is to investigate how we settle across islands, both at a global and regional scale.
Landscape Ecology and Plant Invasions in the Serio River Basin (Italy)
I investigated changes in land use and cover through time and quantified non-native plant species distributions to identify threats to ecosystems of high naturalistic value.
Teaching
I am an empathic, inclusive teacher.
Over the past 5 years, I taught several courses: undergrad & postgrad, lab- & field-based, online & in person. Some I coordinated myself, but the keywords were always the same: empathy, inclusiveness, equality. Scroll down for the full list!
New Zealand flora and fauna (2021)
Course coordinator (Victoria University of Wellington)
Field-based introductory course on New Zealand Flora and Fauna. Students learn how to identify and describe common plants and birds, observe and recognize patterns, and produce and test hypotheses.
Island Ecology & Evolution (2021)
Course coordinator (Victoria University of Wellington)
A course focused on the basic principles of island ecology, biogeography, conservation and evolution.
Teaching Assistant (Victoria University of Wellington)
Plant biology, Plants and algae: function and diversity, New Zealand flora and fauna, Ecology and environment, Island ecology and evolution, Landscape architecture sites and systems.
