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Dr J Ferrari
No more applications being accepted
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
About the Project
Many insects carry bacterial symbionts that are typically passed on from mother to offspring. These bacteria have major effects on their hosts: obligate symbionts usually provide nutritional benefits, while facultative symbionts have been shown to confer advantages that are beneficial in certain ecological circumstances. For example, facultative symbionts can increase the aphids’ resistance to natural enemies or heat shock, or alter a number of life-history traits.
These bacteria have been well studied in aphids, where phenotypic effects are fairly well understood. However, often multiple species of symbionts occur in the same aphid individual and little is known what the consequences are for the aphid phenotype and how these bacteria interact. The student will have the opportunity to develop this project according to his/her interests, but it might include investigating the competitive interactions within the aphid, transfer between individuals, or assessing the effects on the wider ecological community.
These bacteria have been well studied in aphids, where phenotypic effects are fairly well understood. However, often multiple species of symbionts occur in the same aphid individual and little is known what the consequences are for the aphid phenotype and how these bacteria interact. The student will have the opportunity to develop this project according to his/her interests, but it might include investigating the competitive interactions within the aphid, transfer between individuals, or assessing the effects on the wider ecological community.
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