Research

My research focuses on understanding how marine biodiversity is distributed, what processes drive the stability and resilience of coastal ecosystems, and how coastal human communities depend on them for food and livelihoods. It is currently centered on the Western Indian Ocean, particularly Madagascar, through two major projects, ARMS Resilience and MESCAL, and is organized around three connected themes (see my background for more):

Biodiversity, stability & resilience

How biodiversity stabilizes ecosystems across scales, from kelp forests to coral reefs, and which processes underpin their resilience to climate change and overfishing.

Spatial ecology, connectivity & conservation

How marine biodiversity is organized in space, from genes to species to whole seascapes, and how marine protected areas can help conserve it in a changing climate.

Aquatic food systems & small-scale fisheries

Linking marine ecology, artisanal fisheries, and nutrition to strengthen food security and equitable conservation in vulnerable coastal communities of the Western Indian Ocean.

Across these themes, I integrate complementary tools, from DNA metabarcoding and ecological surveys to statistical modeling and local ecological knowledge, guided by a commitment to open science and North-South research equity.

Google Scholar ORCID Research Gate

Selected publications

People and Nature · 2026
The paradox of mosquito net fishing: Complex socio-ecological trade-offs in southwestern Madagascar
Mosquito net fishing in Madagascar feeds households today but traps them in long-term poverty and ecological decline — a striking socio-ecological dilemma where women play a central role.
Environmental DNA · 2026
Active Versus Passive eDNA Sampling Across Depths at a Tropical Fish-Aggregating Device (FAD)
Off Bali, low-cost passive eDNA samplers matched active filtration in detecting pelagic fish at a fish-aggregating device, a practical, transferable tool for monitoring biodiversity in hard-to-reach waters.


Underline indicates advisee; * graduate student, **undergraduate student


In preparation or in review publications

  1. **Todimazava LD, Darias MJ, Mouquet-Rivier CM, Mahafina JA, Lamy T (NA) “Small dried fishes are an affordable and nutritious aquatic food in Madagascar” Submitted.
  1. Omukoto JO, Markhus MW, Ahern M, Ali TM, Berkström C, Gaspare L, Hicks C, Kamau-Mbuthia E, Kolding J, Kimani P, Lamy T, Marigu J, Obiero K, Nombo MP, Maire E, Mbaru EK, Robinson JPW, Kjellevold M (NA) “Regional collaboration on nutrient composition and contaminants in aquatic foods, to strengthen food security in Western Indian Ocean communities” Accepted in Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science.
  1. *Kana Djifack EE, Belda E, Lamy T, Baletaud F, Tsopze N, Zahir J, Zucker JD, Vigliola L, Prifti E (NA) “An integrative environmental-DNA framework for identifying key species along ecological gradients: combining sparse classification, co-presence network topology, and gene set enrichment on marine fish habitats from New Caledonia” Submitted.
  1. **Nomenjanahary KF, *Randrianandrasana J, Jaonalison H, Tsilavonarivo J, Mandimbilaza T, Vignard C, Vigliola L, Hartmann A, Todinanahary G, Lamy T (NA) “Habitat characteristics shape reef fish assemblages in the Bay of Ranobe, Madagascar: A video-based baseline for artificial reef deployment” Submitted.
  1. *Randrianandrasana J, Falinirina A, Mandimbilaza T, Tsimbazafihery PJ, Lamy T, Gibbons E, Hartmann AC, Todinanahary GGB (NA) “Coral, invertebrate, and fish assemblages across reef habitats and proximity to fishers in Madagascar’s marine biodiversity hotspot” Submitted.

Peer-Reviewed Journal publications

2026

  1. *Kana Djifack EE, Prifti E, Lamy T, Baletaud F, Zucker J-D, Tsopze N, Vigliola L, Belda E (2026) “Machine learning-based identification of key indicator species in coral reef fish assemblages” Ecological Informatics. 95, 103704. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2026.103704
  1. Nielsen ES, Heady WN, Lamy T, Raimondi P, Reynolds M (2026) “Long-term monitoring reveals the foundational roles of three rockweed species on understory community structure and stability” Frontiers in Marine Science. 12, 1699335. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1699335
  1. **Rasoanirina FM, Stoica G, **Todimazava LD, Ranaivomanana S, Gibbons E, Mahafina JA, Lamy T (2026) “The paradox of mosquito net fishing: Complex socio-ecological trade-offs in southwestern Madagascar” People and Nature. 8, 1755–1772. DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70311
  1. Martino F, Hartaty H, Crobe V, Hutapea J, Lamy T, Poloni G, Soria M, Spiga M, Zane L, Wudianto W, Capello M, Congiu L (2026) “Active Versus Passive eDNA Sampling Across Depths at a Tropical Fish-Aggregating Device (FAD)” Environmental DNA. 8, e70307. DOI: 10.1002/edn3.70307

2025

  1. **Randriatsara RM, Behivoke F, Ramahatratra F, Mahafina JA, Lamy T, Léopold M (2025) “Mapping place names for small-scale fisheries evaluation” Aquatic Living Resources. 38, 13. DOI: 10.1051/alr/2025009
  1. **Ruiz E, Lamy T, Mouillot D, Durand JD (2025) “Benchmarking the Taxonomic Resolution of Fish eDNA Metabarcodes Against COI Barcodes” Molecular Ecology Resources. 26, e70069. DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.70069
  1. Ezzat, L, Peter H, Bourquin M, Busi SB, Michoud G, Fodelianakis S, Kohler TJ, Lamy T, Geers A, Pramateftaki P, Baier F, Marasco R, Daffonchio D, Deluigi N, Wilmes P, Styllas M, Schön M, Tolosano M, De Staercke V, Battin TJ (2025) “Diversity and biogeography of the bacterial microbiome in glacier-fed streams” Nature. 637, 622–630. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08313-z

2024

  1. Golden, CD, Hartmann AC, Gibbons E, Todinanahary G, Troell MF, Ampalaza G, Behivoke F, David JM, Durand JD, Falinirina AM, Frånberg C, Declèrque F, Hook K, Kelahan H, Kirby M, Koenen K, Lamy T, Lavitra T, Moridy F, Léopold M, Little MJ, Mahefa JC, Mbony J, Nicholas K, Nomenisoa ALD, Ponton D, Rabarijaona RR, Rabearison M, Rabemanantsoa SA, Ralijaona M, Ranaivomanana HS, Randriamady HJ, Randrianandrasana J, Randriatsara HO, Randriatsara RM, Rasoanirina M, Ratsizafy MR, Razafiely KF, Razafindrasoa N, Romario, Solofoarimanana MY, Stroud RE, Tsiresimiary M, Volanandiana AJ, Volasoa NV, Vowell B, Zamborain-Mason J (2024) “HIARA study protocol: impacts of artificial coral reef development on fisheries, human livelihoods and health in southwestern Madagascar” Frontiers in Public Health. 12. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1366110
  1. Maowei L, Lamy T, Reuman DC, Wang S, Bell TW, Cavanaugh KC, Castorani MCN (2024) “A marine heatwave changes the stabilizing effects of biodiversity in kelp forests” Ecology. 105(5), e4288. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4288

2023

  1. Lelièvre Y, **Specq L, Lamy T, Boyé A, Downey RV, Saucède T (2023) “Taxonomic and functional diversity of subtidal benthic communities associated with hard substrates at Crozet archipelago (sub-Antarctic, Southern Ocean)” Frontiers in Marine Science. 10. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1291038
  1. Wisnoski NI, Andrade R, Castorani MCN, Catano CP, Compagnoni A, Lamy T, Lany NK, Marazzi L, Record S, Smith AC, Swan CM, Tonkin JD, Voelker NM, Zarnetske PL, and Sokol ER (2023) “Diversity–stability relationships across organism groups and ecosystem types become decoupled across spatial scales” Ecology. 104(9), e4136. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4136
  1. Qiao, X., Lamy T, Wang S, Hautier Y, Geng Y, Han Z, Zhang N, He H, Zhang Z, Zhang C, Zhao X, von Gadow K (2023) “Selective logging destabilizes the functioning and composition of forest ecosystems at multiple spatial scales” Oikos. 2023(11), e10099. DOI: 10.1111/oik.10099
  1. Qiao X, Lamy T, Wang S, Hautier Y, Geng Y, White HJ, Zhang N, Zhang Z, Zhang C, Zhao X, von Gadow K (2023) “Latitudinal patterns of forest ecosystem stability across spatial scales as affected by biodiversity and environmental heterogeneity” Global Change Biology. 29(8), 2242-2255. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16593

2022

  1. Pantel JH, Lamy T, Dubart M, Pointier J-P, Jarne P, David P (2022) “Metapopulation dynamics of multiple species in a heterogeneous landscape” Ecological Monographs. 92(3), e1515. DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1515

2021

  1. Lamy T, Wisnoski NI, Andrade R, Castorani MCN., Compagnoni A, Lany N, Marazzi L, Record S, Swan CM, Tonkin JD, Voelker N, Wang S, Zarnetske PL, Sokol ER (2021) “The dual nature of metacommunity variability” Oikos. 130(12), 2078–2092. DOI: 10.1111/oik.08517
  1. Jarne P, Lozano del Campo A, Lamy T, Chapuis E, Dubart M, Segard A, Canard E, Pointier J-P, David P (2021) “Connectivity and selfing drives population genetic structure in a patchy landscape: a comparative approach of four co-occurring freshwater snail species” Peer Community Journal. 1, e21. DOI: 10.24072/pcjournal.29
  1. Lamy T, Pitz KJ, Chavez FP, Yorke CE, Miller RJ (2021) “Environmental DNA reveals the fine-grained and hierarchical spatial structure of kelp forest fish communities” Scientific Reports. 11(1), 14439. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93859-5
  1. Miller PM, Lamy T, Page HM, Miller RJ (2021) “Sea urchin microbiomes vary with habitat and resource availability” Limnology and Oceanography Letters. 6(3), 119–126. DOI: 10.1002/lol2.10189
  1. Record S, Voelker NM, Zarnetske PL, Wisnoski NI, Tonkin JD, Swan C, Marazzi L, Lany N, Lamy T, Compagnoni A, Castorani MCN, Andrade R, Sokol ER (2021) “Novel Insights to be gained from applying metacommunity theory to long-term, spatially replicated biodiversity data” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 8, 479. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.612794

2020

  1. Ezzat L, Lamy T, Maher RL, Munsterman KS, Landfield KM, Schmeltzer ER, Clements CS, Vega Thurber RL, Burkepile DE (2020) “Parrotfish predation drives distinct microbial communities in reef-building corals” Animal Microbiome. 2, 5. DOI: 10.1186/s42523-020-0024-0
  1. Rassweiler A, Dubel AK, Hernan G, Kushner DJ, Caselle JE, Sprague JL, Kui K, Lamy T, Lester SE, Miller RJ (2020) “Roving divers surveying fish in fixed areas capture similar patterns in biogeography but different estimates of density when compared with belt transects” Frontiers Marine Science. 7, 272. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00272
  1. Lamy T, **Koenigs C, Holbrook SJ, Miller RJ, Stier AC, Reed DC (2020) “Foundation species promote community stability by increasing diversity in a giant kelp forest” Ecology. 101(05), 1-11. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2987

2019

  1. Wang S, Lamy T, Hallett L, Loreau M (2019) “Stability and synchrony across ecological hierarchies in heterogeneous metacommunities: linking theory to data” Ecography. 42(6), 1200-1211. DOI: 10.1111/ecog.04290
  1. Lamy T, Wang S, Renard D, Reed DC, Miller R (2019) “Species insurance trumps spatial insurance in stabilizing biomass of a marine macroalgal metacommunity” Ecology. 100(7), e02719. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2719
  1. Ezzat L, Lamy T, Maher RL, Munsterman KS, Landfield KM, Schmeltzer E, Gaulke CA, Burkepile DE, Vega Thurber R (2019) “Surgeonfish feces increase microbial opportunism in reef-building corals” Marine Ecology Progress Series. 631, 81-97. DOI: 10.3354/meps13119
  1. Brady S, Bolnick DI, Angert AA, Gonzalez A, Barrett RDH, Crispo E, Eckert CG, Fraser DJ, Fussmann GF, Guichard F, Lamy T, McAdam AG, Newman AEM, Paccard A, Simons AM, Hendry AP (2019) “Causes of maladaptation” Evolutionary Applications. 12(7), 1229–1242. DOI: 10.1111/eva.12844
  1. Brady S, Bolnick DI, Barrett RDH, Chapman LJ, Crispo E, Derry AM, Eckert CG, Fraser DJ, Fussmann GF, Gonzalez A, Guichard F, Lamy T, Lane JE, McAdam AG, Newman AEM, Paccard A, Robertson B, Rolshausen G, Schulte PM, Simons AM, Vellend M, Hendry AP (2019) “Understanding maladaptation by uniting ecological and evolutionary perspectives” The American Naturalist. 194(4), 495-515. DOI: 10.1086/705020
  1. Kröncke I, Neumann, H, Dippner JW, Holbrook S, Lamy T, Miller RJ, Padedda BM, Pulina S, Reed DC, Reinikainen M, Satta CT, Sechi N, Soltwedel T, Suikannen S, Lugliè A (2019) “Comparison of biological and ecological long-term trends related to northern hemisphere climate in different marine ecosystems” Nature Conservation. 34, 311-341. DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.34.30209

2018

  1. Miller RJ, Lafferty KD, Lamy T, Kui L, Rassweiler A, Reed DC (2018) “Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, increases faunal diversity through physical engineering” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 285. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2571
  1. Lamy T, Reed DC, Rassweiler A, Siegel DA, Kui L, Bell TW, Simons RD, Miller RJ (2018) “Scale-specific drivers of kelp forest communities” Oecologia. 186(1), 217–233. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3994-1

2017

  1. Lamy T, Laroche F, David P, Massol F, Jarne P (2017) “The contribution of species–genetic diversity correlations to the understanding of community assembly rules” Oikos. 126(6), 759–771. DOI: 10.1111/oik.03997
  1. Chapuis E, Lamy T, Pointier J-P, Juillet N, Ségard A, Jarne P, David P (2017) “Bioinvasion triggers rapid evolution of life histories in freshwater snails” The American Naturalist. 190(5), 694-706. DOI: 10.1086/693854

2016

  1. Lamy T, Liss KN, Gonzalez A, Bennett EM (2016) “Landscape structure affects the provision of multiple ecosystem services” Environmental Research Letters. 11(12), 124017. DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/11/12/124017
  1. Lamy T, Galzin R, Kulbicki M, Lison de Loma T, Claudet J (2016) “Three decades of recurrent declines and recoveries in corals belie ongoing change in fish assemblages” Coral Reefs. 35(1), 293-302. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-015-1371-2
  1. Assis J, Coelho NC, Lamy T, Valero M, Alberto F, Serrão EÁ (2016) “Deep reefs are climatic refugia for genetic diversity of marine forests” Journal of Biogeography. 43(4), 833-844. DOI: 10.1111/jbi.12677

2015

  1. Lamy T, Legendre P, Chancerelle Y, Siu G, Claudet J (2015) “Understanding the spatio-temporal response of coral reef fish communities to natural disturbances: insights from beta-diversity decomposition” Plos One. 10(9), e0138696. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138696
  1. Laroche F, Jarne P, Lamy T, David P, Massol F (2015) “A neutral theory for interpreting correlations between species and genetic diversity in communities” The American Naturalist. 185(1), 59-69. DOI: 10.1086/678990

2014

  1. Auld JR, Jarne P, Sarda V, Jourdan-Pineau H, Lamy T, Pélissié B, David P (2014) “Evaluating the contributions of change in investment and change in efficiency to age-related declines in male and female reproduction” Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 27(9), 1837-1848. DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12435
  1. Janicke T, Vellnow N, Lamy T, Chapuis E, David P (2014) “Inbreeding depression of mating behavior and its reproductive consequences in a freshwater snail” Behavioral Ecology. 25(2), 288-299. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art122

2013

  1. Lamy T, Jarne P, Laroche F, Pointier J-P, **Huth G, Segard A, David P (2013) “Variation in habitat connectivity generates positive correlations between species and genetic diversity in a metacommunity” Molecular ecology. 22(17), 4445-4456. DOI: 10.1111/mec.12399
  1. Lamy T, Gimenez O, Pointier J-P, Jarne P, David P (2013) “Metapopulation dynamics of species with cryptic life stages” The American Naturalist. 181(4), 479–491. DOI: 10.1086/669676

2012

  1. Lamy T, Pointier JP, Jarne P, David P (2012) “Testing metapopulation dynamics using genetic, demographic and ecological data” Molecular ecology. 21, 1394–1410. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2012.05478.x
  1. Lamy T, **Lévy L, Pointier JP, Jarne P, David P (2012) “Does life in unstable environments favour facultative selfing? A case study in the freshwater snail Drepanotrema depressissimum (Basommatophora: Planorbidae)” Evolutionary Ecology. 26(3), 639-655. DOI: 10.1007/s10682-011-9520-8