Scientific activity :

I aim to understand the origin of spatial patterns in species and in genetic diversity. I address the following questions :
1) Are species and genetic spatial pattern correlated? With the perspective to better understand and preserve biodiversity it is important to better understand the integration between the different levels of diversity.
2) What is the influence of environment and landscape on these distributions ?
3) What are the processes at the origin of these spatial patterns (drift, gene flow, selection…).

My work has applications in conservation biology, for example with the objective to help to define conservation units. To address these questions, I adapt and evaluate statistical methods. I have contributed to the introduction of landscape genetics.

Main research topics
(i) Spatial pattern of species distribution
- Impact of land use on the distribution of aquatic species in Himalaya (Collaboration Steve Ormerod, 1996-1999).
- Determinism of spatial distribution of vegetal species in the Alps (Collaboration with Sebastien Lavergne).

(ii) Spatial pattern of selection
Genomic of adaptation: interaction genome-environment.
- Pattern of selection in the Alps.
- Pattern of selection in Arabis alpina – Thesis : Bénédicte Poncet – Collaboration with Felix Gugerli (WSL, Zurich).

(iii) Spatial distribution of neutral genetic diversity
- Method for detecting boundary based on Wombling.
- Comparison of statistical methods for identifying genetic boundary (Collaboration with Mark Miller, Utah University) – Thesis: Toni Safner.

Teatching activity :

- Statistics for biologists.
- Responsible of the first year Master, Biodiversity, Ecology and Environment.

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Projects :

ANR Diversitalp (2007-2010) Impact of climate change on vegetal species in the Alps: distribution of specific, functional and phylogenetic diversities, simulations and conservation strategies, Responsible Wilfried Thuiller.

European project INTRABIODIV, Organisation and evolution of biodiversity at large scale (Europe), responsible P. Taberlet, 2004-2007.
http://intrabiodiv.vitamib.com/

ACI IMPbio, Data analysis in population genomics, Responsible Oscar Gaggiotti, 2004-2007. (http://www2.ujf.grenoble.fr/leca/projets/IMPBio/IMPBioFr.html).

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Publications :

Manel S and Gernot S. (in press) Meeting review: perspectives and challenges in landscape genetics. Molecular Ecology.

Poncet B., Garrat P., Manel S., Bur N., Sachet JM, Roques A., Deprés L. (in press)* *The effect of climate on masting in the European larch and on its specific seed predators. Oecologia.

Holderegger R., Herrmann D., Poncet B., Gugerli F., Taberlet P., Gielly L., Rioux D., Thuiller W., Brodbeck S., Aubert S., Manel S. (2008). Land ahead : Using genome scans to identify molecular markers of adaptive relevance. /Plant Ecology and Diversity/: 1, 273-283.

G. Segelbacher, S. Manel SE, and J. Tomiuk, Temporal and spatial analyses disclose consequences of habitat fragmentation on the genetic diversity in capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) (2008)   Molecular Ecology, 17, 2356-2367

A. Bonin, D. Ehrich and S. Manel, (2007), Statistical analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism data : a toolbox for molecular ecologists and evolutionists Molecular Ecology, 16 : 3737–3758.

S. Manel, F. Berthoud, E. Bellemain, M. Gaudeul, G. Luikart, J. E. Swenson, L. P. Waits, Pierre Taberlet, and Intrabiodiv Consortium. (2007). A new individual-based spatial approach for identifying genetic discontinuities in natural populations. Molecular Ecology, 10: 2031-2043.

Cercueil A. , François O. and Manel S. (in press) The genetical banddwithdth mapping: a spatial and graphical representation of population genetic structure based on the wombling method. Theoretcial Population Biology, 71, 3 332-341.

A. Crida and S. Manel (in press). WOMBSOFT: a R package that implements the wombling method to identify genetic boundary. Molecular Ecology Note, 7, 588-591.

Bellemain E, Zedrosser A, Manel S, Taberlet P & Swenson J. (2006) To choose or not to choose : the dilemma of female mate selection in species with sexually selected infanticide. The Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, series B, 273: 283-291.

Manel S., Gaggiotti O. & Waples R. (2005) Assignment methods: Which approaches best address which biological questions? Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 20: 136-142.

Gaudeul M., Till I., Barjon F. & Manel S. (2004) Genetic diversity and differentiation in Eryngium alpinum (L. Apiacae): comparison of AFLP and microsatellite markers. Heredity, 92, 508-518.

Manel S., Bellemain E., Swenson S. & François O. (2004) Assumed and inferred spatial structure of populations: the Scandinavian brown bears revisited. Molecular Ecology, 13, 1327-1331.

Blum M., Damerval C., Manel S. & François O. (2004). Brownian models and coalescent structures. Theoretical Population Biology, 65: 249-261.

Manel S., Schwartz M., Luikart G. & Taberlet P. (2003) Landscape genetics: combining landscape ecology and population genetics. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 20: 136-142.

D'Amico F., Darblade S.; Avignon S.; Manel S & Ormerod S. J. (2004) Odonates as indicators of Shallow lake restoration by liming. Comparing adult and larval responses. Restoration Ecology. 8: 439-446.

Cercueil A., Bellemain E. & Manel S. (2002) PARENTE: computer program for parentage analysis. The Journal of Heredity, 93: 458-459.

Manel S., Berthier P. & Luikart G. (2002) Detecting Wildlife Poaching: Identifying the Origin of Individuals Using Bayesian Assignment tests and Multi-locus Genotypes. Conservation Biology, 16: 650-659.

Manel S., Brewin P.A., Williams C. & Ormerod S. (2001) Evaluating presence-absence models in Ecology. Journal of Applied Ecology, 38: 921-931.

Manel S., Buckton S.T. & Ormerod S.J. (2000) Problems and possibilities in large scale ecological surveys: the effect of land use on Himalayan river birds. Journal of Applied Ecology, 37:756-770.

Manel S., Dias J-M., Buckton S.T. & Ormerod S.J. (1999) Alternative methods for predicting species distribution: an illustration with Himalayan river birds. Journal of Applied Ecology, 36: 734-747.

Manel S., Dias, J-M. & Ormerod S.J. (1999) Comparing discriminant analysis, neural networks and logistic regression for predicting species distributions: a case study with a Himalayan river bird. Ecological Modelling, 120: 337-347.

Manel S. & Debouzie D. (1997) Modeling insect development time of two or more larval stages in the field under variable temperatures. Environmental Entomology, 26:163-169.

Manel S. & Debouzie D. (1997) Logistic regression and continuation ratio models to estimate insect development under variable temperatures. Ecological Modelling, 98: 237-243

Manel S. & Debouzie D. (1995) Prediction of egg and larval development time in the field under variable temperatures. Acta Oecologica, 16:205-218.