Research in focus: Fabio Mologni

Name:

Fabio Mologni

My pronouns:

He/Him/Lui

Title:

Postodoctoral Fellow

Department/Unit:

Department of Biology

Location:

Okanagan

Year I started working at UBC:

2022

Provide an overview of your research in 75 words or less:

I investigate species distributions and biological invasions. I aim to better understand the impacts of invasive plant species in riparian ecosystems, especially when they compound one another. I also explore how modern humans are distributed on islands. Do we behave like other plants and animals? Or do we show unique distributional patterns?

What first motivated you (or motivates you) to conduct your research?

Diversity drives me, whether biological or cultural. I believe it is the greatest legacy we have and that we should cherish it. There is a profound love for Nature and I feel the urge to contribute to protecting it from our own mistakes. Someone once said that whoever caused a problem cannot provide solutions as well. However, if not us, who?

What do you hope will change as a result of this research?

By exploring non-native plant distributions and their impacts, I hope to help conservation bodies in the decision-making process. Where should we focus efforts and financial resources? By exploring insular human distributions, I aim to develop a theoretical framework to help predict how we inhabit islands and how inhabitation patterns change over time.

Are there any research collaborators you'd like to acknowledge and why?

Among many collaborators, I would like to use this space to acknowledge friends and colleagues that supported me in my ongoing journey through Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) and the many Canadian indigenous cultures. I am particularly grateful to Terence Hikawa, Jaye Barclay, Kahurangi Cronin e Hannah Pilat for their help, support and kindness.

Learn more:

https://academic.link/fabiomologni