In my PhD project, I investigate how invasive riparian plants interact with biodiversity and erosion on riverbanks. 

My main hypothesis is that two invasive species, Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam) and Reynoutria japonica (Japanese knotweed), reduce riverbank biodiversity, which in turn creates conditions that favor their own expansion. 

To test this, I combine field observations and remote sensing with greenhouse and mesocosm experiments.