Alexandre ROBERT

I am interested in the study of the processes driving small populations and metapopulations to extinction. Over the last few years, I have worked mainly along three main axes.

 

The first axis concerns the study of the different levels of demographic variation within populations (differences between individuals and within individuals), especially in bird and mammal species. The main issues I have addressed are:

1) The individual covariation between survival and reproduction: why are the individuals most able to survive also the best breeders?  And how is this variation organized over time, within and between years?

2) Longitudinal variations within individuals, and in particular reproductive and actuarial senescence, in relation to the environment.

3) How do these different levels of variation impact population dynamics?

 

The second axis is more applied and concerns conservation translocations (reintroduction, assisted colonization...): what is the success of these operations? How do they contribute to restoring taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional biodiversity? How can their success be defined and practices improved? The main questions I have addressed are:

1) How to define the success of a species reintroduction? With several colleagues, we have proposed an approach based on the viability of reintroduced populations.

2) How can the resources allocated to these operations be transcribed in terms of effects on the different facets of biodiversity on a large scale?

3) What are the links between the quality of the target habitat and the demography of the reintroduced populations?

4) What are the effects of management and environmental variations on the demography of restored populations?

 

The third axis is a little more emergent for me and goes beyond the strict field of biology. It addresses the motivations for conserving biological diversity, and therefore the resulting practices and the functional consequences of these practices. The motivations for conserving biodiversity are organized (according to some authors) along a continuum, which goes from a bio-centered ethics based on the intrinsic value of living things, to an anthro-centered ethics, in which biodiversity is conserved for humans. My approach here is to understand the functional (eco-evolutionary) consequences of ethical choices.

 

 

Publications

 

Monnier-Corbel, A., Monnet, A.-C., Hingrat, Y. & Robert, A. (2021) Patterns of abundance reveal evidence of translocation and climate effects on houbara bustard population recovery. In press, Animal Conservation.

 

Rabier, R., Lesobre, L. & Robert, A. (2021) Reproductive performances in houbara bustard are affected by age, inbreeding and the number of generations in captivity. Scientific Reports 11.1: 1-13.

 

Louvet, A., Machon, N., Mihoub, JB & Robert, A. (2021) Detecting seed bank influence on plant metapopulation dynamics. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 12:655-664.

 

Bastianelli, O., Robert, A., Doutrelant, C., de Franceschi, C. Giovannini, P. & Charmantier, A. (2021) Identifying drivers of spatio-temporal variation in survival in four blue tit populations. PCI Ecology doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.28.428563

 

Rabier, R., Robert, A., Lacroix, F. & Lesobre, L. (2020) Genetic assessment of a conservation breeding program of the Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in Morocco, based on pedigree and molecular analyses. Zoo Biology 39:422-435.

 

Kerbiriou, C., Barré, K., Mariton, L., Pauwel, J., Zissis, G., Robert, A. & Le Viol, I. 2020. Disentangling the relative effects of light intensity and spectrum on bat activity following switch from Low-Pressure Sodium to Light Emitting Diode at street lights. Diversity 12:165.

 

Thévenin, C., Morin, A., Kerbiriou, C., Sarrazin, F. & Robert, A. (2020) Heterogeneity in the allocation of reintroduction efforts among terrestrial mammals in Europe. Biological Conservation 241: 108346.

 

Gastineau, A., Robert, A., Sarrazin, F., Mihoub, J.B. & Quenettte, P.-Y. (2019) Spatiotemporal depredation hotspots of brown bears, Ursus arctos, on livestock in the Pyrenees, France. Biological Conservation 238: 108210.

 

Teletchea, F. & Robert, A. (2019) PROLÉGOMÈNES BIOLOGIQUES: Sauvegarde de la faune sauvage: quel rôle pour la dé-extinction ? RSDA http://www.unilim.fr/omij/

 

Cornec, C., Robert, A. Rybak, F. & Hingrat, Y. (2019) Male vocalizations convey information on kinship and inbreeding in a Lekking bird. Ecology & Evolution 9: 4421-4430.

 

Robuchon, M., Faith, D., Julliard, R., Leroy, B., Pellens, R., Robert, A., Thévenin, C., Veron, S. & Pavoine, S. (2019) Species splitting increases estimates of evolutionary history at risk. Biological Conservation 235:27-35.

 

Jiguet, F., Robert, A., Lorrillière, R. Hobson, K.A., Kardynal, K.J., Arlettaz, R., Bairlein, F., Belik, V., Bernardy, P., Copete, J.L., Czajkowski, M.A., Dale, S., Dombrovski, V., Ducros, D., Efrat, R., Elts, J., Ferrand, Y., Marja, R., Minkevicius, S., Olsson, P., Pérez, M., Piha, M., Raković, M., Schmaljohann, H., Seimola, T., Selstam, G., Siblet, J.P., Skierczyǹski, M., Sokolov, A., Sondell, J. & Moussy, C. (2019) Unravelling migration connectivity reveals unsustainable hunting of the declining ortolan bunting. Science Advances 5: DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau2642.

 

Bacon, L., Robert, A. & Hingrat, Y. (2019) Long lasting breeding performance differences between wild-born and released females in a reinforced North African Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) population: a matter of release strategy. Biodiversity and Conservation 28:553-570.

 

Le Coeur, C., Pisanu, B, Chapuis J.-L. & Robert, A. (2018) Within and between year variations of reproductive strategy and cost in a population of Siberian chipmunks. Oecologia 188:765-776.

 

Thévenin, C., Mouchet, M., Robert, A., Kerbiriou, C. & Sarrazin, F. (2018) Reintroductions of birds and mammals involve evolutionarily distinct species at the regional scale. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 115: 3404-3409

 

Dubos, N., Le Viol, I., Robert, A., Teplitsky, C., Ghislain, M., Dehorter, O., Julliard, R. & Henry, P.-Y. (2018) Disentangling the effects of spring anomalies in climate and net primary production on body size in temperate songbirds. Ecography doi.org/10.1111/ecog.03413

 

Borner, L., Duriez, O., Besnard, A., Robert, A., Carrere, V. & Jiguet, F. (2017) Bird collision with power lines: estimating carcass persistence and detection associated with ground search surveys. Ecosphere e01966

 

Bacon, L., Hingrat, Y. & Robert, A. (2017) Evidence of reproductive senescence of released individuals in a reinforced bird population. Biological Conservation 215: 288-295.

 

Bacon, L., Hingrat, Y., Jiguet, F., Monnet, A.-C., Sarrazin, F. & Robert, A. (2017). Habitat suitability and demography, a time dependent relationship. Ecology & Evolution 7: 2214–2222.

 

Robert, A., C. Fontaine, S. Veron, A.C. Monnet, M. Legrand, J. Clavel, S. Chantepie, D. Couvet, F. Ducarme, B. Fontaine, F. Jiguet, I. le Viol, J. Rolland, F. Sarrazin, C. Teplitsky & M. Mouchet (2017). Fixism and conservation science. Conservation Biology 31: 781–788.

 

Robert, A., Thévenin, C., Princé, K., Sarrazin, F & Clavel, J. (2017) De-extinction and evolution. Functional Ecology 31: 1021–1031.

 

Duchamp C, Chapron G, Gimenez O, Robert A, Sarrazin F, Beudels-Jamar R, Le Maho Y. (2017). Expertise collective scientifique sur la viabilité et le devenir de la population de loups en France à long terme sous la coordination ONCFS-MNHN de : Guinot-Ghestem M, Haffner P, Marboutin E, Rousset G, Savoure-Soubelet A, Siblet JP, Trudelle.

 

Le Cœur, C., Chantepie, S., Pisanu, B., Chapuis, J.L. & Robert, A. (2016) Inter-annual and inter-individual variations in survival exhibit strong seasonality in a hibernating rodent. Oecologia (doi:10.​1007/​s00442-016-3597-2)
 

 

Chantepie, S., C. Teplitsky, S. Pavard, F. Sarrazin, B. Descaves, P. Lecuyer & A. Robert (2016) Age-related variation and temporal patterns in the survival of a long-lived scavenger. Oikos 125: 167-178.

 

Robert, A., Bolton, M., Jiguet, F. & Bried, J. (2015) The survival-reproduction association becomes stronger when conditions are good. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 282: 20151529.
 

 

Cornec, C., Hingrat, Y., Robert, A. & Rybak, F. (2015) The meaning of Boom calls in a lekking bird: identity or quality information? Animal Behaviour 109: 249-264.

 

Hardouin, L., Hingrat, Y., Legagneux, P. & Robert, A. (2015) Sex-specific dispersal responses to inbreeding and kinship in a lekking species. Animal Behaviour 105: 1-10.

 

Kerbiriou, C, J.-F. Julien, S. Monsarrat, P. Lustrat, A. Haquart & A. Robert (2015) Information on population trends and biological constraints from bat counts in roost cavities: a 22-year case study of a pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus Schreber) hibernaculum. Wildlife Research 42: 35-43.

 

Hardouin, L., Y. Hingrat, M. Nevoux, F. Lacroix & A. Robert (2015) Survival and movement of translocated houbara bustards in a mixed conservation area. Animal Conservation 18: 461-470.

 

Robert, A., B. Colas, I. Guigon, C. Kerbiriou, J.B. Mihoub, M. Saint-Jalme & F. Sarrazin (2015) Reintroducing reintroductions into the conservation arena. Animal Conservation 18: 413-414.

 

Robert, A., B. Colas, I. Guigon, C. Kerbiriou, J.B. Mihoub, M. Saint-Jalme & F. Sarrazin (2015) Defining reintroduction success using IUCN criteria for threatened species: a demographic assessment. Animal Conservation 18: 397-406.

 

Chantepie, S., A. Robert, G. Sorci, Y. Hingrat, A. Charmantier, G. Leveque, F. Lacroix, C. Teplitsky (2015) Quantitative Genetics of aging in reproductive traits of houbara bustard. PLoS One 10: e0133140.

 

Le Coeur, C., A. Robert, B. Pisanu & J.-L. Chapuis (2015) Seasonal variation in infestations by Ixodids on Siberian chipmunks: effects of host age, sex and birth season. Parasitology Research 114: 2069-2078.

 

Monnet, A.-C., L. Hardouin, Y. Hingrat, A. Robert & F. Jiguet (2015) Evidence of a link between demographic rates and species habitat suitability from post release movements in a reinforced bird population. Oikos 124: 1089-1097.

 

Robert, A., S. Chantepie, S. Pavard, F. Sarrazin & C. Teplitsky (2015) Actuarial senescence can increase the risk of extinction of mammal populations. Ecological Applications 25:116–124.

 

Robert, A. (2015) Problèmes et progrès liés à la généricité en biologie de la conservation. (HDR dissertation, Paris 11).

 

Robert, A., V.H. Paiva, M. Bolton, F. Jiguet & J. Bried (2014) Nest fidelity is driven by multi-scale information in a long-lived seabird. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 281:1793 20141692.

 

Acker, P., A. Robert, R. Bourget & B. Colas (2014) Heterogeneity of reproductive age increases the viability of semelparous populations. Functional Ecology 28: 458–468.

 

Hardouin, L., A. Robert, M. Nevoux, O. Gimenez, F. Lacroix & Y. Hingrat. (2014) Meteorological conditions influence short-term survival and dispersal in a reinforced long-lived bird population. Journal of Applied Ecology 51: 1494–1503.

 

Teyssèdre, A. & A. Robert (2014) Contrasting effects of habitat reduction, conversion and alteration on neutral and non neutral biological communities. Oikos 123: 857–865.

 

Bichet, C., G. Sorci, A. Robert, R. Julliard, Á.Z. Lendvai, O. Chastel, S. Garnier & C. Loiseau (2014) Epidemiology of Plasmodium relictum infection in the House Sparrow. Journal of Parasitology 100: 59-65.

 

Teyssèdre, A. & A. Robert (2014) Biodiversity trends are as bad as expected. Biodiversity & Conservation 23.

 

Coron, C., E. Porcher, S. Méléard & A. Robert (2013) Quantifying the mutational meltdown in diploid populations. American Naturalist 181: 623-636.

 

Noël, F., N. Machon & A. Robert (2013) Integrating demographic and genetic effects of connections on the viability of an endangered plant in a highly fragmented habitat. Biological Conservation 158: 167–174.

 

Vergnes, A., S. Chantepie, A. Robert & P. Clergeau (2013) Are urban green spaces suitable for woodland carabids? First insights from a short-term experiment. Journal of Insect Conservation 17: 671-679.

 

Doxa, A., A. Robert, A. Crivelli, G. Catsadorakis, T. Naziridis, H. Nikolaou, F. Jiguet & K. Theodorou (2012) Shifts in breeding phenology as a response to population size and climatic change: comparison between short and long-distance migrant species. Auk 129: 753-762.

 

Robert, A., V.H. Paiva, M. Bolton, F. Jiguet & J. Bried (2012) The interaction between reproductive cost and individual quality is mediated by oceanic conditions in a long-lived bird. Ecology 93: 1944–1952.

 

Loiseau, C., R. Harrigan, A. Robert, R. Bowie, H. Thomassen, T. Smith & R. Sehgal (2012). Host and habitat specialization of avian malaria in Africa. Molecular Ecology 21: 431-441.

 

Hardouin, L., M. Nevoux, A. Robert, O. Gimenez, F. Lacroix & Y. Hingrat (2012) Determinisms and costs of natal dispersal in a lekking species. Oikos 6: 804-812.

 

Doxa, A., K. Theodorou, A. Crivelli, D. Hatzilacou, G. Catsadorakis, M. Malakou, T. Nazirides & A. Robert (2012) Spatially correlated environmental factors drive synchronization in populations of the Dalmatian Pelican. Population Ecology 54: 499-507.

 

Kerbiriou, C, I. Le Viol, X. Bonnet & A. Robert (2012). Dynamics of a northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) population at the southern limit of its range in Europe. Population Ecology 54: 295-304.

 

Lorrillière, R., D. Couvet & A. Robert (2012). The effects of direct and indirect constraints on biological communities. Ecological Modelling 224 : 103-110.

 

Kerbiriou C., J. Marmet, S. Monsarrat, A. Robert, M. Lemaire, L. Arthur, A. Haquart, J.F. Julien (2012) Eléments de réflexion sur le suivi des gîtes de chiroptères Symbioses : 28.

 

Fabre, C., Méléard, S., Porcher, E., Teplitsky, C., & Robert, A. (2012). Evolution of a structured population in a heterogeneous environment.

http://www.cmap.polytechnique.fr/preprint/repository/765.pdf

 

Robert, A. (2011) Find the weakest link. A comparison between demographic, genetic and demo-genetic metapopulation extinction times. BMC Evolutionary Biology 11: 260.

 

Robert, A. (2011) Is the FST a good predictor of extinction? American Naturalist 177: 99-109.

 

Mihoub, J.B., A. Robert, P. Le Gouar & F. Sarrazin (2011) Post-Release Dispersal in Animal Translocations: Social Attraction and the “Vacuum Effect”. PLoS One 6, 12: e27453

 

Loiseau, C., R. Zoorob, A. Robert, O. Chastel, R. Julliard & G. Sorci (2011) MHC diversity and avian malaria in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 278: 1264–1272.

 

Doxa, A., K. Theodorou, D. Hatzilacou, A. Crivelli & A. Robert (2010) Joint effects of inverse density-dependence and extreme environmental variation on the viability of a social bird species. Ecoscience 17: 203-215.

 

Sulawa, J., A Robert, U. Köppen, P. Hauff & O. Krone (2010) Recovery dynamics and viability of the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Germany. Biodiversity and Conservation 19: 97-112.

 

Lorrillière, R., B. Boisteau & A. Robert (2010) Modelling spatial dynamics of recovering species: a case study with the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. Ibis 152: 118-126.

 

Kerbiriou, C, I. Le Viol, A. Robert, E. Porcher, F. Gourmelon & R. Julliard (2009) Tourism in protected areas can threaten wild populations: from individual response to population viability of the chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 657-665.

 

Robert, A. (2009) The effects of spatially correlated perturbations and habitat configuration on metapopulation persistence. Oikos 118: 1590-1600.

 

Robert, A. (2009) Captive breeding genetics and reintroduction success. Biological Conservation 142: 2915-2922.

 

Robert, A., B. Toupance, M. Tremblay & E. Heyer (2009) Impact of inbreeding on fertility in a pre-industrial population. European Journal of Human Genetics 17:673-681.

 

Robert, A. (2009) Petites populations et vortex d’extinction. Regard#9 Société Française d’Ecologie.ttp://www.sfecologie.org/regards/2011/01/10/regards-9-robert/

 

Muratet, A., E. Porcher, J.C. Abadie, L. Poncet, J. Moret, & A. Robert (2009) Use of extensive habitat inventories in biodiversity studies. Biodiversity and Conservation 18: 3115-3125.

 

Devictor, V. & A. Robert (2009) Measuring community response to large scale disturbance in conservation biogeography. Diversity and distribution 15:122-130.

 

Couvet, D., A. Robert & K Theodorou (2009) Génétique et viabilité des espèces rares et menacées, in the chapter “ les espèces menacées ”, in Biologie Evolutive, by Frédéric Thomas, Thierry Lefèvre, Michel Raymond (eds). De Boeck.

 

Le Gouar, P., A. Robert, J.P. Choisy, S. Henriquet, P. Lécuyer, C. Tessier, F. Sarrazin (2008) Roles of survival and dispersal in reintroduction success of Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus). Ecological Applications 18(4): 859-872.

 

Clavel, J., A. Robert, V. Devictor & R. Julliard (2008) A transient model under the robust design: abundance estimation. The Journal of Wildlife Management 72: 1203–1210.

 

Jiguet, F., A. Doxa & A. Robert (2008) The origin of out-of-range pelicans in Europe: wild bird dispersal or zoo escapes? Ibis 150: 606-618.

 

Robert, A. (2008) From inbreeding depression to population dynamics. In Avian reintroduction biology: current issues for science and management (J. Ewen, D Armstrong, K Parker, P Seddon, organizers). Avian Biology Research 1: 27-50.

 

Jiguet, F., A. Robert, T. Micol & C. Barbraud (2007) Quantifying stochastic and deterministic threats to island seabirds: last endemic prions face extinction from falcon peregrinations. Animal Conservation 10: 245–253.

 

Robert, A, D. Couvet & F. Sarrazin (2007) Integration of demography and genetics in population restorations. Ecoscience 14(4): 463-471.

 

Kirchner, F., Robert, A & Colas, B. (2006) Modelling the dynamics of introduced populations in the narrow-endemic Centaurea corymbosa: a demo-genetic integration. Journal of Applied Ecology 43: 1011-1021.

 

Robert, A. (2006) Negative environmental perturbations may improve species persistence. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 273: 2501-2506.

 

Sarrazin, F., Le Gouar, P., Bosè, M ., Gault, A. et Robert, A. (2006) Dynamique à long terme des populations de vautours fauves. LPO. Vautours infos 8:5-8.

 

Robert, A, D. Couvet & F. Sarrazin (2005) Inbreeding effects on pair fecundity and population persistence. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 86: 467-476.

 

Sarrazin, F., M. Bosè, A. Gault, P. Le Gouar, A. Robert, C.P. Artur, J.P. Choisy, S. Henriquet, D. Peyrusqué, J.L. Pinna, P. Lecuyer, C. Tessier (2005) Dynamics of restored populations of Griffon Vultures in Southern France. Conservation and Management of Vulture Populations, 152.

 

Robert, A, F. Sarrazin, D. Couvet & S. Legendre (2004) Releasing adults versus young in reintroductions: interactions between demography and genetics. Conservation Biology 18: 1078-1087.

 

Robert, A, F. Sarrazin & D. Couvet (2004) Influence of the rate of introduction on the fitness of restored populations. Conservation Genetics 5: 673-682.

 

Robert, A, F. Sarrazin & D. Couvet. (2003). Variation among individuals and extinction: reply to Kendall and Fox. Conservation Biology 17: 1166-1169.

 

Robert, A, D. Couvet & F. Sarrazin (2003). The role of local adaptation in metapopulation restorations. Animal Conservation 6: 255-264.

 

Robert, A, D. Couvet & F. Sarrazin. (2003). Bottlenecks in large populations: the effect of immigration on population viability. Evolutionary Ecology 17: 213-231.

 

Sarrazin, F., Lapenu, P., Arthur, C., Gault, A. & Robert, A. (2003). EGVWG Database: a tool for international network. Vulture News.

 

Robert, A. (2003). Interactions démographiques et génétiques dans les petites populations: applications aux populations restaurées (Doctoral dissertation, Paris 6).

 

Robert, A, D. Couvet & F. Sarrazin. (2002). Fitness heterogeneity and viability of restored populations. Animal Conservation 5: 153-161.