We have been working for several years now on the genetics and ecology of invasion of the Swiss midlands by threespined stickleback. The invasion took place in the last 150 years and was associated with massive expansion of the ecological range of the species. In much of the Mediterranean region, stickleback were simultaneously declining rapidly to the extent that they are extinct or nearly extinct in many places and enjoy protected species status. We have more recently started to work on these isolated Mediterranean relict populations, hoping to make a little contribution to documenting diversity and adaptive potential.
