Projects
Taxonomic Disorder: A philosophical-taxonomic investigation into the role of values in species classification KU Leuven
It is widely accepted that we are facing a human-induced biodiversity crisis that is likely to have (and already has) a disastrous impact on all fields of human life. The biodiversity research and conservation efforts necessary to mitigate this crisis are crucially dependent on having a reliable inventory of biodiversity in the form of species classifications. However, current species classifications are in a state of disorder: there are ...
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 ...
Reproductive barriers, interspecific gene flow and diversification in a globally distributed pennate diatom Ghent University
The formation of new species is the fundamental process responsible for the diversity of life on Earth. Understanding this process requires insight into how genetically based barriers to gene flow (i.e. reproductive isolation) evolve between populations. In this project we aim to advance our understanding of speciation and species diversification in microalgae. We focus on diatoms, the most diverse group of algae on Earth and playing a key ...
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 ...
A hidden and sneaky strategy: mechanisms and importance of mycoparasitism in the evolution of Basidiomycota. Ghent University
The last two decades have been marked by the discovery of many Basidiomycota (fungi) who gain their nutrients from other fungi. This strategy is called mycoparasitism. Many of these fungi were found to represent very old lineages, having evolved early when Basidiomycota diverged from Ascomycota. However, for most of these species, relevant data to interpret the evolutionary patterns and importance of mycoparasitism is lacking. In this ...