Ludek Berec

I am a theoretical ecologist, with general interest in population-level and community-level implications (including ecological, epidemiological and evolutionary) of processes operating at the level of individual organisms, and in disclosure of mechanisms responsible for the emerging patterns. The tools I use to address these issues include mathematical models of any sort, ranging from deterministic population models defined by ordinary differential or difference equations up to stochastic and highly flexible individual-based models. Where possible, mathematical analysis of such models is conducted, otherwise numerical simulations are carried out.

More specifically, my current research interests include understanding dynamics of populations that face one or more Allee effects, exploration of various ecological interactions from two-sex perspective, and studying of how infectious diseases can be used to cope with pests (see also here). I am also involved in a couple of applied projects, including development of a large-scale model of a temperate mountain spruce-dominated forest, assessment of likelihood of mosquito outbreaks and associated risks (disease transmission) in the Czech Republic, and applying population ecology to strategies for eradicating invasive forest insects (NCEAS Working group).

Links of a particular interest to theoretical ecologists can be found here.