Theories summarize and synthesize our ideas about how natural systems work and function in order to seek generalities across organisms, ecological systems, and levels of biological organization. The Theoretical Population Ecology and Evolution Group takes the population as the natural, and some would say inevitable, starting point for the study of a range of central questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. We use mathematics to formalize rigorously the dynamics of populations and communities and use these conceptual models to analyse the responses of individuals, populations and communities to environmental change, and the evolution of behavioural and other traits. Insights from our research and the quantitative tools we use are put to service in the management of exploited populations (e.g., wildlife and marine fish stocks), estimation of ecosystem services, and the management and conservation of biodiversity.

The research group the Theoretical Population Ecology and Evolution Group studies basic ecological and evolutionary questions such as speciation, dynamics and evolution in ecological populations, behaviour and life history strategies, and adaptations to changing environments. The effect of climate changes and management of wildlife and marine fish stocks are important application areas.