Professor Ken Wilson Research Interests: 

wordle

Ecology of the African armyworm baculovirus (funded by BBSRC and DFID)

African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) is an economically-important crop pest in eastern Africa, especially Tanzania and Kenya. The caterpillars of this moth species
are infected by an endemic baculovirus - the Spodoptera exempta nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpexNPV), but armyworm deaths due to this virus occur too late in the armyworm season to stop the caterpillars causing damage. The aim of this grant is to understand better the natural ecology of this virus in order to more effectively use it as an effective biological control agent. For more information about this project, click on the ARMYWEB tab above.
Personnel
: Dr Rob Graham, Yamini Tummala, Phill Nott
       NPV

Role of Juvenile Hormone in density-dependent prophylaxis (funded NERC)

As population density increases, so the risk of becoming infected by pathogens generally increases. As an evolutionary response to this, many insects have evolved a phenomenon known as density-dependent prophylaxis (DDP) - as population density increases, so the insects invest more in disease resistance mechanims and become lesss susceptible to infection. This NERC-funded study is examining the potential role of juvenile hormone in this phenomenon.

Personnel
: Shaihla Khan
    armyworms

Melanism and disease resistance in insects (funded by NERC)
In high-density populations, many insects become darker due to the deposition of melanin in their cuticle. Melanin has antimicrobial properties and it has been suggested that melanization of the cuticle is an adaptation to increase resistance to entomopathogens, especially fungi, which infect their hosts via the cuticle. This grant is selecting for melanic and non-melanic lines of Spodoptera caterpillars and will determine whether there is a correlated change in disease resistance.

Personnel
Dr Kwang Lee

exempta

Nutrition and disease resistance in insects (funded by NERC/BBSRC)
This study is examining the nutritional constraints on the immune system of insects, using the Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, as a model organism. The study is focussing on the effects of macro- and micro-nutrients on immune function and resistance to entomopathogens, such as bacteria and baculoviruses. This work is conducted in collaboration with Prof Stephen Simpson (University of Sydney).
PersonnelCatherine Reavey, Joanna Randall, Sonia Povey

littoralis

Ecology of gastrointestinal nematodes of Svalbard reindeer (NERC)
In the high arctic, reindeer populations persist despite eight months of sub-zero temperatures. There is evidence that their parasites are also well adapted to these conditions. This project will investigate winter transmission of the parasite Marshallagia marshalli, and its impact on the reproduction and survival of reindeer living on Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway (78°N). The project is in collaboration with Prof Steve Albon and Dr Justin Irvine (Macaulay Institute) and Dr Steve Coulson (University Centre in Svalbard - UNIS)
Personnel: Anja Carlsson

reindeer

Parasites and the costs of resistance in Soay sheep on St. Kilda (funded by NERC)
Nematode parasites are a significant mortality factor for the feral population of Soay sheep living on St. Kilda in the Outer Hebrides, St. Kilda. However, little is known about the impact of parasites on the reproductive success of the sheep. This studentship is examining the impact of parasites on the behaviour and lambing success of female Soays and on the rutting behaviour of males.
Personnel: Louisa Tempest

soay lambs

Testosterone and mating behaviour of male Soay sheep (funded by The Royal Society and Lancaster University)
This project uses a combination of plasma- and faeces-based assays to examine the relationship between testosterone and male rutting behaviour and success. This project is conducted in collaboration with Dr Brian Preston, Dr Steve Monfort (Smithsonian National Zoological Park), Dr Gerald Lincoln (University of Edinburgh) and Dr Ian Stevenson
(Sunadal Data Solutions).

soay rams

Sex-biased parasitism and immunity in insects (funded by NERC)
This studentship is taking an experimental approach to examine sex differences in immunity and parasitism in insects, and is currently focussed on earwigs and cockroaches. The study builds on comparative analyses conducted with Dr Sarah Moore which showed that males tend to have weaker immunity and greater prevalence of parasites than females. Part of this study is being conducted in collaboration with Dr Joe Tomkins (University of St. Andrews).
Personnel: Susan Williamson

grasshoppers
Bacterial Pathogens in Birds (funded by NERC, BBSRC and CJ Wildfoods)
Wild birds as potential vectors of disease have received recent renewed empirical interest, especially regarding human health. Understanding the spread of bacterial pathogens in wild birds may serve as a useful model for examining the spread of other disease organisms, both amongst birds, and from birds to other taxa. This project is developing molecular methods for monitoring bacterial pathogens found in birds. The longer term aim is to quantify the influence of bacterial pathogens on life history traits and reproductive success in wild birds. The project is in collaboration with Dr Ian R. Hartley (Lancaster University), Prof R. Pickup, and Dr Glenn Rhodes (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology - Lancaster).
Personnel: Clare Benskin, Rachel Hope.
bluetit

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Dr Rosa Menendez Research Interests (back to top)


Effects of climate change on the structure of natural communities: a food web approach (funded by NERC)
Many butterflies in the UK are expanding their distributions northwards as a result of recent climate warming. The project will evaluate the effect of the new arriving species on those already present in the community. Using a combination of field and laboratory experiments, quantitative food webs of butterflies and parasitoids will be constructed in order to understand the underlying processes structuring natural communities and the potential for climate change to alter them.
Personnel: Annabel Rice

small tortoiseshell

Identifying cost effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics (funded by Australian Research Council).
There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help with biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. This project aims to determine the reforestation approach that maximises native biodiversity, while profiting from the carbon market. We use a replicated experimental design to track the biodiversity, carbon value and costs associated with eight different approaches of reforestation of cattle pasture into secondary rainforest. We are monitoring several key taxa (plants, butterflies, dung beetles, bees and ants) and carbon pools, prior to reforestation and throughout the regeneration process. The fieldwork is conducted in North Queensland, Australia. The project is coordinated by Dr MM Mayfield (Queensland University) and is in collaboration with Prof CJ Bradshaw (Adelaide University), Prof MJ Lawes (Charles Darwin University), Dr DJ Chittleborough (Adelaide University), Dr PD Erskine (Queensland University), Dr T Gardner (Cambridge University) and myself.
Personnel: Dr. Rosa Menendez

rainforest

Understanding the ways in which climate change could threaten northerly distributed species
(funded by Lancaster University).
Climate change is predicted to become an important factor involved in species extinction and in particular mountain species and those restricted to high latitudes are the ones most likely to go extinct. The vulnerability of these species can be aggravated by other potential threats such as habitat loss and the arrival of other species from lowlands and low latitudes triggered by warming. This project studies the Northern Brown Argus butterfly (Aricia artaxerxes ) and its southerly sister species Brown argus (Aricia agestis) in Britain. The northern species has declined in recent decades while the southern species has expanded northwards associated with warming. The aim of this study is to get information about the potential interaction between the two species generated by sharing the same enemies (parasitic wasps that attack the caterpillars). The fieldwork for this project is conducted in several areas in the UK (Lincolnshire, the Peak District, North Wales and Morecombe Bay).
Personnel: Dr. Rosa Menendez

larvae and parasitoid


Altitudinal changes in species distributions and their effect on total diversity: the influence of latitude and climate change
(funded by NERC).
Climate is a main determinant of species’ ranges, so global warming is expected to cause major changes in species distributions. Species ranges will contract at the warmer limit and expand at the cooler limit as a result of warming but few studies have investigated distributional shifts in the entire geographic range of a species. This project investigates changes in the altitudinal distribution of dung beetle species in six mountain regions along a latitudinal gradient across the whole of Europe. The project explores the role of climate warming in explaining those elevational shifts. The fieldwork for this project is conducted in several mountain areas including the Pennines (North England), Alps (France), Picos de Europa (North Spain), Gredos (Central Spain) and Sierra Nevada (South Spain).  
Personnel: Dr. Rosa Menendez




alps

Species’ responses to climate change and their effects on community structure and ecosystem function
(funded by NERC)

This study is investigating the effects of current climate change on dung beetle communities, a group of insects which plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. The project examines changes in species and functional diversity as well as changes in the composition of communities by comparing data from 14 to 50 years ago with current data. The project also aims to predict how those changes in community attributes might affect ecosystem functions and services provided by dung beetles. The fieldwork is conducted in Europe (North and South England, French Alps and several areas in Spain).  
Personnel: Dr. Rosa Menendez

dung beetle

Understanding potential effects of climate change on dung beetle communities in subtropical rainforests
(funded by Lancaster University and IBISCA-Queensland, Australia).
This project investigates changes in dung beetle communities along an altitudinal gradient in subtropical rainforests. The aim of the project is to asses the sensitivity of different species to changes in temperature in order to identify potential bio-indicator species of climate change. The fieldwork is conducted in Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia, in collaboration with Dr. Geoff Monteith (Queensland Museum). This project is part of an international consortium involving forest ecologists and entomologists, called IBISCA Queensland.  
Personnel: Dr. Rosa Menendez

kangaroo
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Dr Andy Wilby Research Interests (back to top)

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