EU-TMR Research Network on Social Evolution

Experimental Ecology Home Page Research on the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions in Zürich, Switzerland  


The Zürich group has experience in the analysis of the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions. Research has focused on parasites as selective factors for host life history, behaviour, immune defence and mating systems, as well as biogeographical variation in the occurrence of hosts and parasites. In recent years the group has acquired expertise in molecular ecology, addressing problems of population structure and genotype-genotype interactions in natural host-parasite systems, especially in Bombus spp. And their parasites. The Zürich group as a part of the TMR-network offers special training and advice in the area of evolutionary ecology, especially of host-parasite interactions, and will host a network-workshop on Social Organisation and Disease in January 2000. Apart from the EU, the Zürich group is supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation, ETH grants and several other foundations.

bumble bee

The group of Experimental Ecology in Zürich currently has 4 academic staff, 2 postdocs, 6 doctoral, and 2 Diploma students, plus 3 technical staff. Its research profile includes major areas such as evolutionary and behavioural ecology, life history, population biology and genetics, and molecular ecology. The group is equipped with its own modern labs for molecular work (e.g. sequencing, microsatellite development and application), parasitological work, microscopic studies, climate chambers, animal rearing, and computing facilities. It belongs to the Department of Environmental Sciences of ETH Zürich which has 22 faculty, approx. 150 academic and technical staff and around 50 PhD students in all areas of environmental research. ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule) is the Federal University of Switzerland with strengths in Engineering and Sciences, including strong Departments of Biology and Chemistry. In addition, close co-operation with the Institute of Zoology, and the Zoological Musuem at the University of Zürich exists. The Zürich group is located in the central campus of ETH, close to the old city, and a few minutes from the institutes at Zürich University .

Persons in Zürich currently involved in research relevant to the EU-TMR research network:

  • Dr. Paul Schmid-Hempel (Professor)
  • Dr. Stella Koulianos (Assistant)
  • Dr. Regula Schmid-Hempel (Research Assistant)
  • Dr. Horst Schwarz (Research Assistant)
  • Dr. Mark Brown (EU-network post-doc)
  • Boris Baer (PhD student)
  • Chrissy Gerloff (PhD student)
  • Yannick Moret (PhD student)
  • Christine Reber (technician)
  • Roland Loosli (technician)

    Persons in Zürich previously involved in research relevant to the EU-TMR network:

  • Dr. Claudie Doums (EU-network post-doc, 1997-1998)
  • Dr. Elmar Benelli (PhD student, 1995‚1998)
  • Dr. Barbara Imhoof (PhD student, 1994‚1998)

    Crithidia
    Crithidia bombi (photo: E.Wehrli, Inst. f. Elektronenmikroskopie)

    Current projects on social insects in the group include:

  • The analysis of parasitism in relation to mating systems in Bombus species.
  • Population structure in natural host-parasite systems
  • Maintenance of variability in hosts through parasites
  • The evolutionary ecology of immunocompetence in social insects
  • Ecology and evolution of parasite virulence in social insect hosts
  • Theoretical aspects of host-parasite interactions
  • Co-evolution of mites and their social insect hosts

    Current collaborative projects within the EU-TMR network include:

  • A study of the chemical structure and function of the mating plug in Bombus terrestris (together with Roland Maile, Graeme Jones and E. David Morgan from Keele)
  • Effects of parasitism on the chemistry of Dufour's gland secretions in bumble bees (together with Roland Maile, Graeme Jones and E. David Morgan from Keele)

    Other related activities in the group include:

  • Parasites as selective factors for the maintenance of clonal diversity and sexual reproduction in snails.
  • Life history variation in response to parasitism
  • Genetic variability and phylogeny of snail hosts and trematode parasites
  • Evolutionary ecology of parasitic and hemiparasitic plants.

    Staff involved in these projects are:

  • Dr. Jukka Jokela (Assistant)
  • Dr. Pia Mutikainen (Finnish Academy Research Fellow)
  • Dr. Jürgen Wiehn (Post-doc)
  • Sonja Negovetich (PhD student)
  • Mark Rigby (PhD student)
  • Esther Wullschleger (PhD student)

    Experimental Ecology Group Publications

    A general overview over research done at ETH, including this group, can be obtained at: Research at ETH.

    Index to further sections at this web site: 
    Aarhus Firenze
    Keele
    		 Sheffield Uppsala Würzburg Zürich
     
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