camille.grohe[at]univ-poitiers.fr
Main research question
My research aims at better understanding the mechanisms driving the evolutionary dynamics of communities and ecosystems. I am particularly interested in the evolution of interactions between carnivoran mammals (lions, saber-toothed cats, hyaenas, dogs…) and hominins in eastern Africa from the Miocene to the Pleistocene.
Topics of study
- Description of the fossil biodiversity of carnivoran mammals, notably during the Plio-Pleistocene of eastern Africa.
- Analyses of phylogenetical relationships between species, both fossil and extant, and investigation of their biogeographic history.
- Investigation of the paleoecology of fossil species using extant species as models.
For example, I perform 3D geometric morphometrics analyses and analyses of correlations under various evolutionary models (i.e., taking into account phylogenetical relationships between species) in order to understand the relationship between the shape of a structure (e.g., mandible, inner ear) and its function (e.g., diet, locomotion, acoustic capabilities). These methods help me to reveal morphological adaptations of carnivoran species to different kinds of environments.
Study of the interactions between carnivorans and Hominini, notably during the appearance and the intensification of a meat consumption behaviour in hominins.
Fieldworks
I participated to several field works, notably in Myanmar (Late Miocene of the Irrawaddy Formation) with Jean-Jacques Jaeger and Olivier Chavasseau, in China (Middle Miocene of the Tunggur Formation, Inner Mongolia) with Xiaoming Wang (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), in the United States (Paleogene of the Washakie and Bridger Formations, Wyoming) with John Flynn (American Museum of Natural History of New York), and in Ethiopia with Jean-Renaud Boisserie (Plio-Pleistocene of the Shungura Formation, lower Omo Valley).
I am currently studying fossil remains of carnivoran mammals discovered during the annual field works conducted by the Omo Group Research Expedition in collaboration with Jean-Renaud Boisserie.
Funding
- Fondation ARS Cuttoli Paul Appell, Fondation de France
Other responsibilities
- Member of OGRE
- Member of Lothagam Research Project (http://www.johnjrowan.com/lothagam-research-project.html)
- Member of Turkana Miocene Project (https://turkanamiocene.com/)
