In the video podcast below, Julie Messier presents the findings of her recent study, accepted for publication (currently in early view) in Journal of Ecology, and titled ‘‘Interspecific integration of trait dimensions at local scales: the plant phenotype as an integrated network“. This study was part of Julie’s PhD project that aimed at exploring the limits of a trait-based approach to ecology, specifically with respect to phenotypic complexity and scaling. She carried out this work at The University of Arizona with Drs Brian Enquist, Brian McGill and Martin Lechowicz. The video is available below and can also be found on the Journal of Ecology YouTube channel (english subtitles available).

Julie Messier is an empirical plant ecologist interested in the causes and consequences of trait variation and integration across biological scales (from within individuals to among communities). Her research aims to uncover general principles governing patterns of phenotypic diversity. She is broadly interested in questions at the intersection of the topics of plant physiology, scaling, functional straits, complexity, phenotypic integration and community ecology. The research presented in this paper was conducted during Julie’s PhD dissertation at the University of Arizona but she is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sherbrooke and the CNRS.