As a former MSCA fellow, I appreciate how much of a wonderful opportunity the MSCA Fellowships are. If you are interested in insects in a changing climate, how insects respond to thermal stress, or how we can better support beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes, and would be interested in developing a project, then please feel free to drop me an email at [email protected]. You can find out more about the call here.
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Sublethal effects of novel insecticides on a beneficial parasitoid wasp and the implications for biological control.
Supervisors: Dr Lucy Alford & Dr Harry Siviter Broad-spectrum chemical insecticides such as neonicotinoids are a major cause of beneficial insect declines globally. In response to this, bans and restrictions on neonicotinoid use have been implemented on a global scale in an attempt to reverse trends in insect biodiversity loss. This has led to a rise in the development of novel ‘bee-safe’ insecticides, including flupyradifurone, registered for use in the control of pest insects. Whilst these novel insecticides differ in their chemical class, they share the same mode of action as neonicotinoids, raising the question as to whether they have similar sub-lethal impacts on beneficial insects. Parasitoid wasps of the genus Aphidius are beneficial insects in agroecosystems and play an important role in the biological control of cereal aphids; economically important pests that threaten the production of staple cereal crops including wheat, triticale, and barley. Employing wasps of the genus Aphidius and their aphid hosts as the study system, the proposed project will investigate non-lethal effects of novel insecticide exposure on these beneficial parasitoid wasps and their ability to perform natural biological control of cereal aphids. The successful candidate will gain experience in a range of laboratory techniques including measures of life history traits, microdissection, and insect husbandry across multiple trophic levels. This is currently a self-funded MRes project to begin September 2024. Any further questions can be directed to [email protected]. There is no formal deadline and the advert will remain live until the position has been filled. Applications should be submitted via the University of Bristol postgraduate application portal: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/start-application/ Three fully-funded MSc by Research studentships are available in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Bristol, to start in September 2024. The studentship will cover a stipend of £18,622 plus home studentship fees.
Project details are as given below; any further questions can be directed to Dr Chris Clements for projects 1 and 2 ([email protected]), Dr Lucy Alford for project 3 ([email protected]) or Professor Richard Wall for any of the projects ([email protected]). Applications should be submitted via the University of Bristol postgraduate application portal. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/start-application/ Successful applicants will have at least a 2.i honours degree in Biology or related subject by the start of the MSc and must be UK-based. Please state on your application which of the projects you are applying for. The closing date for applications is the 1st March 2024, but this will be extended should the positions not be filled. PR1. Modelling non-target impacts on insect decomposer species at a landscape level. Supervisors : Dr Chris Clements & Prof Richard Wall A spatial simulation model of the community of invertebrates that colonise and decompose livestock dung will be built in the R statistical package. The model will be used to explore non-target impacts of the antiparasitic anthelmintics administered to livestock on important insect decomposer species. The model will be parameterised using Information on excretion profiles of parasiticides, lethal and sublethal susceptibility to faecal residues and attractivity of contaminated pats, obtained from the published literature. Effects on populations will be estimated using data on the frequency and timing of parasiticides used, proportion of animals treated and excretion profiles of residues, while accounting for impacts on insect generations over time. The model will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the landscape-scale risks to invertebrate decomposer communities associated with current patterns of livestock parasiticide use in the UK. Ideal candidate: will have strong interests in coding and modelling (preferably in R but other languages acceptable), and ideally mathematics to A level, as well as an interest in community and/or population ecology. They will be independent and happy to self-teach aspects of coding and modelling through online courses and papers/published texts. PR2: The environmental benefits of targeted selective treatment of cattle. Supervisors : Dr Chris Clements & Prof Richard Wall Strategies which use antiparasitic medicines against the livestock in a population most at need (Targeted Selective Treatment), are increasingly advocated as a means of reducing the amount of antiparasitic chemical used, with concomitant environmental benefits, while minimising selection for resistance. A field study will be undertaken with three groups of farms, one applying a conventional treatment strategy to beef cattle at spring turnout, one applying no treatments and the other applying a TST approach where the impacts on dung-colonising invertebrates will be assessed. Faecal egg counts will be used to assess parasite burdens and help direct treatments in the TSTgroup. Beetle and fly populations will be assessed on each farm using baited pit-fall traps and pat searching techniques. Ideal candidate: Will have a strong interest in field ecology and the outdoors, be independent in their approaches to problems solving, and some experience carrying out ecological experiments. They will also need good interpersonal skills and some familiarity with farming systems. A full driving licence is also essential. PR3: Impacts of a changing climate on livestock ectoparasites Supervisors : Dr Lucy Alford & Prof Richard Wall Arthropod parasites that live on the external bodies of their living hosts are known as ectoparasites (e.g. mites, lice, ticks and blowfly larvae). Infestation can result in compromised animal health and welfare, and for livestock, reduced economic value. As ectothermic organisms, these arthropod pests have limited ability to regulate their body temperature above and below ambient, with environmental temperature consequently impacting all aspects of their biology. For this reason, climate change will have profound implications for these economically important parasites, infestation rates, and ultimately livestock health. A better understanding of the impacts of cold and heat shock events on a range of ectoparasites will enable a better understanding of the likely impacts of climate change on populations of these arthropods. This project will consider the resilience of model ectoparasite species in the laboratory using controlled environment microcosms. Ideal candidate: will have a strong interest in invertebrate thermal physiology, entomology and/or parasitology within the wider context of climate change and pest outbreaks. |
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April 2024
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