Biodiversity in Afrotropical forests is declining dramatically due to deforestation and bushmeat trade. Simultaneously, there is an increased frequency of outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) with a natural reservoir in wild small mammals.
Arthropod-borne (arbo)viruses require a hematophagous arthropod vector for transmission to vertebrates and are responsible for a significant global public health burden with over 100 viral species having the capacity to cause disease in humans.
We propose to focus on two major functional groups of insects that are of interest in agroecological farming, namely pollinators, particularly bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) and flower flies (Diptera, Syrphidae), but also pests, particularly fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) as targets and proxies for the evaluation of pollinator & pest biodiv
We characterise the genetic diversity of the current Tyto alba population in Belgium and compare this to the genetic diversity from before the Harry Potter hype. This comparison will highlight whether/how much genetic material from foreign subspecies has entered our local population.
The cichlid species flocks of the East African Great Lakes form the most spectacular examples of adaptive radiation and explosive speciation in vertebrates. The endemic cichlid species flocks from some of the lesser lakes, such as Albert, Edward and Kivu have remained largely overlooked.
The recurrent gain and loss of identical but complex traits during the time course of evolution has puzzled evolutionary biologists since Darwin.
To develop a perpetual network of key stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate action on priority research, policy and management issues on the African Great Lakes region through regular and consistent communication exchange, this project will host an applied, collaborative workshop which creates lake committees on each of the African Great La
The Lake Tanganyika sprat (Stolothrissa tanganicae) and the Lake Tanganyika sardine (Limnothrissa miodon), form the bulk of the fisheries in Lake Tanganyika, which provide a livelihood for tens of thousands of lakeshore fishermen and a cheap source of protein for millions of people in the neighbouring countries.
Secondary sexual traits, being traits that allow males to increase their mating success, such as the Peacock’s tail, represent one of the most astonishing and rapidly evolving traits in nature.
The Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo) is a, BELSPO financed, species identification service that provides access to expertise and infrastructure necessary to identify specimens, tissues or derived products of organisms of policy concern:
