About
Kersti Riibak is a Research Fellow in Macroecology at the University of Tartu's Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences (Faculty of Science and Technology). She holds a Ph.D. in Botany and Ecology from the University of Tartu (2018) and a Master's in Plant and Fungal Sciences (2011). Her research focuses on plant community ecology, dark diversity, dispersal limitation, and biodiversity conservation. She has led and contributed to projects such as the DarkDivNet global collaboration exploring dark diversity patterns.
Her academic roles include serving as Program Director for Biology and Ecology BSc/MSc curricula (2018–2023) and coordinating teaching in floristics and student internships. Riibak's work bridges theoretical ecology with applied conservation, emphasizing the role of dispersal and habitat connectivity in restoring biodiversity.
Key research interests include understanding how dispersal limitations shape plant communities, particularly in agricultural and grassland ecosystems. She has published extensively in journals like Nature, Ecology Letters, and Journal of Biogeography, with a focus on global vegetation patterns, community completeness, and ecological restoration strategies.
Riibak has received awards such as the IAVS Travel Award (2017) and multiple scholarships for international research collaborations. She actively participates in science outreach, including workshops for students and publications explaining dark diversity methodologies.
