Publicaties
Hierarchical eco-evo dynamics mediated by the gut microbiome KU Leuven
The concept of eco-evolutionary (eco-evo) dynamics, stating that ecological and evolutionary processes occur at similar time scales and influence each other, has contributed to our understanding of responses of populations, communities, and ecosystems to environmental change. Phenotypes, central to these eco-evo processes, can be strongly impacted by the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome shapes eco-evo dynamics in the host community through its ...
Genotype specific and microbiome effects of hypoxia in the model organism Daphnia magna KU Leuven
The fitness of the host is highly influenced by the interplay between the host and its associated microbiota. The flexible nature of these microbiota enables them to respond swiftly to shifts in the environment, which plays a key role in the host's capacity to withstand environmental stresses. To understand the role of the microbiome in host tolerance to hypoxia, one of the most significant chemical changes occurring in water ecosystems due to ...
Comparison between the gut bacterial community of laboratory cultured and wild Daphnia. KU Leuven
The fitness of an organism is often impacted by the composition and biological activity of its associated bacterial community. Many factors, including host genetics, diet, and temperature can influence the bacterial community composition. Furthermore, these factors can differ strongly between natural and laboratory environments. Consequently, several studies have highlighted results from laboratory experiments investigating host-associated ...
Host-bacteriome transplants of the schistosome snail host Biomphalaria glabrata reflect species-specific associations. KU Leuven
Microbial symbionts can affect host phenotypes and, thereby, ecosystem functioning. The microbiome is increasingly being recognized as an important player in the tripartite interaction between parasitic flatworms, snail intermediate hosts, and the snail microbiome. In order to better understand these interactions, transplant experiments are needed, which rely on the development of a reliable and reproducible protocol to obtain ...
The effect of hypoxia on Daphnia magna performance and its associated microbial and bacterioplankton community: A scope for phenotypic plasticity and microbiome community interactions upon environmental stress? KU Leuven
The depletion of oxygen as a result of increased stratification and decreased oxygen solubility is one of the most significant chemical changes occurring in aquatic ecosystems as a result of global environmental change. Hence, more aquatic organisms will be exposed to hypoxic conditions over time. Deciphering the effects of hypoxia on strong ecological interactors in this ecosystem’s food web is critical for predicting how aquatic communities ...
Human impact on symbioses between aquatic organisms and microbes KU Leuven
Aquatic organisms rely on microbial symbionts for coping with various challenges they encounter during stress and for defending themselves against predators, pathogens and parasites. Microbial symbionts are also often indispensable for the host’s development or life cycle completion. Many aquatic ecosystems are currently under pressure due to diverse human activities that have a profound impact on ecosystem functioning. These human activities ...
Locally adapted gut microbiomes mediate host stress tolerance KU Leuven
While evidence for the role of the microbiome in shaping host stress tolerance is becoming well-established, to what extent this depends on the interaction between the host and its local microbiome is less clear. Therefore, we investigated whether locally adapted gut microbiomes affect host stress tolerance. In the water flea Daphnia magna, we studied if the host performs better when receiving a microbiome from their source region than from ...