Projects
Multitrofic interaction between tomato, plague and virus vector Frankliniella occidentalis, its natural enemy Orius laevigatus and tomato spotted wilt virus Ghent University
The aim of this project is to research the way different insects (a herbivore and a natural enemy) and a pathogen (virus) influence each other and the host (tomato).
FunBat: Tritrophic interactions among FUNgi, flies, and BATs: systematics, taxonomy, and community ecology Ghent University
This is a story across multiple trophic levels: bats are host to bloodsucking flies that in turn serve as hosts for minute ectoparasitic fungi, the Laboulbeniales. Laboulbeniales fungi are obscure, microscopic ectoparasites, and have been traditionally understudied by the mycological community. With this project, moving forward from a previous FWO-funded fellowship, we propose to exploit the TriTrophic Traits (3T) database consisting of ...
Assessing the role of microbial volatiles in parasitoid-hyperparasitoid interactions and its implications for biological control of insect pests KU Leuven
Biological control exploiting natural enemies of insect pests (e.g. predatory insects and parasitoids) has become increasingly important in insect pest management. However, development and implementation of effective biological control strategies require a thorough understanding of the multi-trophic interactions between the different organisms involved. Since a few decades the study of trophic interactions has evolved from the mere ...
Assessing the role of microbial volatiles in parasitoid-hyperparasitoid interactions and its implications for biological control of insect pests KU Leuven
Biological control exploiting natural enemies of insect pests (e.g. predatory insects and parasitoids) has become increasingly important in insect pest management. However, development and implementation of effective biological control strategies require a thorough understanding of the multi-trophic interactions between the different organisms involved. Since a few decades the study of trophic interactions has evolved from the mere ...
Context dependency of host-parasite interactions: Impact of Microcystis aeruginosa on parasitism in Daphnia magna KU Leuven
In the last decade, it has become clear that changing environmental conditions may affect host-parasite interactions. Nevertheless, it is often not clear in what way they affect these interactions. In freshwater ecosystems, changing circumstances, such as nutrient enrichment, can induce toxic cyanobacterial blooms. We here investigate whether the widespread and frequently studied cyanobacterial species Microcystis aeruginosa has an ...
Laboulbeniales hyperparasitic fungi of bat flies: host specificity and patterns of speciation Ghent University
This is a story about hyperparasitism: flies that live as parasites on bats in turn serve as hosts for small ectoparasitic fungi, the Laboulbeniales. Laboulbeniales fungi are microscopic, obscure, and understudied, even neglected by the mycological community. The small community of researchers studying Laboulbeniales primarily focus on taxonomy (description of species) and ecology (effects of the fungi on their hosts). With this project, we ...
Restoration of healthland on former arable land: the importance of soil biota for aboveground ecological functioning and consequences for the host plant Ghent University
In this project we address whether belowground biotic interactions can influence aboveground herbivores and mutualists. Moreover, the effect of soil biota on floral traits and its subsequent consequences on the pollination success of plants is studied in order to understand the multitrophic dimension of ecosystems and also to improve the long-term establishment of plant populations in heathlands under restoration programmes.