I am currently working on my PhD titled “Shifts in functional trait-based community structure across space and taxonomic groups” (FunShift). Within this project we are trying to identify and understand the mechanisms that drive local biodiversity. We focus on different taxonomic groups across Switzerland and through functional trait-based approaches assess the mechanisms related to species dispersal and local community assembly. My work mainly consists of developing models related to potential functional landscape connectivity, spatial trait shifts, dispersal limitations and biotic or abiotic constrains for the taxonomic groups in question.