One of the key challenges in biology today is to understand the origin of biodiversity, its evolution and dynamics, and the underlying mechanisms. The fossil record provides a unique perspective to study these processes. It also reveals patterns that cannot be predicted using living taxa alone and provides information on how organisms and ecosystems have responded to major environmental changes in the past.
I study extinct plants that grew during the Paleozoic and early Mesozoic, 400-200 million years ago, to understand the origin and evolution of key groups of plants, and to reconstruct their biology. This allows me to investigate the relationships between plant systematic and functional diversity, plant evolution & past environmental changes.

Click on the following images to read more about ongoing research.

Devonian-Permian floras of the paleotropics.
Permian-Jurassic floras of Antarctica
Evolution of secondary vascular tissues and bark
Diversity & biology of fossil trees

Recent/ongoing externally funded projects

2021-2023: DECA- Quelles modalités de récupération post crise Dévonien-Carbonifère? [abstract]
CNRS- INSU, program Tellus-Interrvie
Role: Coordinator

2021-2022: PaleoPARADE –Paleozoic tropical plants from Ireland and France
Irish Research Council & French Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Ulysses program. 
Role: co-PI with Carla J. Harper (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland)

2016-2020: Permian and Triassic icehouse to greenhouse: Paleoenvironments and  paleobotany in the Shackleton Glacier area, Antarctica.
National Science Foundation (USA), Division of Polar Programs.
Role: faculty associate. PI: Edith L. Taylor (University of Kansas).

2017-2019: Biotic responses of faunas and floras to abiotic changes in deep time.   
Labex CEMEB -Centre Méditerranéen de l’Environnement et de la Biodiversité (France)  
Role: participant. PI : Catherine Girard (ISEM, Montpellier).

Fieldwork

  • Antarctica: Beardmore Glacier region, 2010; South Victoria Land, 2012, 2014; Shackleton Glacier region, 2016. Permian, Triassic & Jurassic floras
  • Australia: Queensland, 2005, 2008. New South Wales, 2013, 2018. Devonian & Early Carboniferous floras.
  • France: Montagne Noire, Lodeve Basin. Early Carboniferous-Permian floras.
  • Ireland: County Clare, Co Kerry, Co Wexford, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022. Devonian & Carboniferous floras.
  • Morocco: Anti-Atlas, 2013. Devonian floras