Carmen BESSA-GOMES

Resarch activities

My core personal research focuses on theoretical issues at the individual and population levels of ecological organisation, and on the task of linking population dynamics with behavioural ecology, within the framework of evolutionary ecology. In addition to basic research, I am interested in bringing modern ecological theory to bear on significant applied problems, specifically in conservation biology. Hence, my research activities so far have focused on behaviour mechanisms underlying the Allee effect and its consequences for conservation biology. I have collaborated with many researchers at a wide range of institutions, both inside and outside France.

Main research question

My research activities so far were build around the generic question of «What is the role of inter-individual interactions in the individuals’ ability to cope with a changing environment?»This generic question was approached considering how different types of inter-individual interactions (e.g. «cooperation» through mating systems, and social foraging), were impacted by anthropogenic disturbance leading to reduced population size or to changes in the resources exploited.

Current research projects

RARE – Research on Allee and Rarity Effects (coordinated by Franck Courchamp). My focus are behavioural Allee effects, in particular the impact of group living on small population dynamics. I’m particular interested in the impact of group living on primate population dynamics and extinction risk and currently collaborating with Guy Cowlishaw (IoZ, UK).

Softpop – From SOcial Foraging To POpulation Processes: an integrated approach to population dynamics (coordinated by François Sarrazin). This research programme investigates how resource distribution in space and time, and in particular its spatial predictability affect information use by social foragers. Our model system are scavenger raptors and we are particularly interested in exploiting how our results can be used in vulture conservation programmes.

2016Alison L. Greggor, Oded Berger-Tal, Daniel T. Blumstein, Lisa Angeloni, Carmen Bessa-Gomes, et al.  (2016)-Research Priorities from Animal Behaviour for Maximising Conservation Progress. Trends Ecol Evol. ,In press

2015Lootvoet A. C., Philippon J., Bessa-Gomes C. (2015)-Behavioral Correlates of Primates Conservation Status: Intrinsic Vulnerability to Anthropogenic Threats.PLoS One,10:10

2013Sophie Monsarrat, Simon Benhamou, Francois Sarrazin, Carmen Bessa-Gomes, Willem Bouten, Olivier Duriez  (2013)-How Predictability of Feeding Patches Affects Home Range and Foraging Habitat Selection in Avian Social Scavengers? PLOSone,8:1-11

2012Bleu, J., C. Bessa-Gomes, et al.  (2012)-Evolution of female choosiness and mating frequency: effects of mating cost, density and sex ratio.Animal Behaviour,83(1):131-136

2010Bessa-Gomes C., Legendre S., Clobert J. (2010)-Discrete two-sex models of population dynamics: On modelling the mating function.Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology,36:439–445

Deygout C., Gault A., Duriez O., Sarrazin F., Bessa-Gomes C. 2010. (2010)-Impact of food predictability on social facilitation by foraging scavengers.Behavioral Ecology,21(6):1131–1139

2009Deygout C., Gault A., Sarrazin F., Bessa-Gomes C. (2009)-Modeling the impact of feeding stations on vulture scavenging service efficiency.Ecological Modelling,220:1826–1835

2004Bessa-Gomes C., Legendre S., Clobert J. (2004)-Allee effects, mating systems and the extinction risk in populations with two sexes.Ecology Letters,7:802–812

2003Bessa-Gomes C., Clobert J., Legendre S., Moller A. P. (2003)-Modeling mating patterns given mutual mate choice: The importance of individual mating preferences and mating system.Journal of Biological Systems,11(3):205–219

Bessa-Gomes C., Danek-Gontard M., Cassey P., Moller A. P., Legendre S., Clobert J. (2003)-Mating behaviour influences extinction risk: insights from demographic modelling and comparative analysis of avian extinction risk.Annales Zoologici Fennici ,40(2):231–245

Bessa-Gomes C., Petrucci-Fonseca F. (2003)-Using artificial neural networks to assess wolf distribution patterns in Portugal.Animal Conservation,6:221–229