Island journey. Stories of avian parasites and vectors: ecology, evolution and art.

Claire loiseau

University of Montpellier, France

claire.loiseau@umontpellier.fr

Link to seminar:

https://umontpellier-fr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QHoOoQqoQvSU5Gh-vj_R1Q

The characteristics of islands, such as lower species diversity and a relatively simplified environment, provide natural conditions to investigate many aspects of ecology and to study inter-specific relationships. Here, I will present research projects that took place on an oceanic island that exhibits exceptional high levels of endemism: São Tomé Island (Gulf of Guinea, Africa)*. In the last decade, increasing agricultural activities, e.g. oil palm monocultures, modified the island landscape and threatens its biodiversity. This situation creates a natural setting to study host-vector-parasite dynamics with habitat changes. Our multidisciplinary approach brought together several research fields: parasitology, entomology, epidemiology and evolutionary ecology, combined with molecular, genomic and bioinformatics tools. The research team extended to artists who together explored scientific questions and embraced the diversity of languages.

Watch previous seminars on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrX4IsZ8WIFcDa0ZmC7rcQg