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Dr Arthy Surendran, Dr L Ross
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Behavioural Biology
Biochemistry
Biodiversity
Biotechnology
Ecology
Entomology
Environmental Biology
Plant Biology
About the Project
As the UK transitions towards a ban on peat in plant-growing media, the adoption of more sustainable alternatives such as wood fibre, wood chips, and green compost has led to a rise in the prevalence of fungus gnats in glasshouse environments, where they can become significant pests. Despite their growing impact, fungus gnat has been one of the least studied and understood families of Diptera in the British fauna. This lack of research has sparked numerous questions about their biology, behaviour, and virulence, especially about their increased presence in peat-free growing media.
This project will investigate and identify various fungus gnat species present in the glasshouse setting in the UK by employing metabarcoding. The most prevalent species will be selected to study their biology, lifecycle and virulence. Further, the bionomics of the selected species with respect to the peat alternatives will be studied in detail. With special attention to the diet, the shift in fungus gnat's diet from fungi and algae to living plant cells marks a critical turning point, enabling them to transition from being mere nuisances to significant agricultural pests. This dietary adaptation allows them to damage crops and ornamental plants, intensifying their threat. Muti-omics such as genomics and proteomics tools will be utilised study the underlying mechanisms.
Finally, the project will evaluate the existing control strategies and develop new environmentally friendly control methods. This includes the production of sterile males or traps utilising the pheromones/volatiles, phototaxis etc.
The precise question depends on the student’s idea and interest. The potential topic includes
1. What are the common species of fungus gnats in the British Isles and their biology?
2. What is the effect of peat alternatives on the bionomics of fungus gnat? Special focus will be on the dietary change and the link to their virulence.
3. What are the environmentally friendly effective methods to control fungus gnat in a glasshouse setting? Development of new or integrated pest management methods. E.g. Development of sterile male control approaches.
Further details and how to apply can be found here
APPLICATION DEADLINE - 6 January 2025 at 12:00 noon, GMT
Funding Notes
This Studentship is fully funded for 48 months by the E5 DLA at the University of Edinburgh and covers tuition fees and an annual stipend at the UKRI rate. See entry and eligibility criteria Here
References
1. Trinca, V., Carli, S., Uliana, J. V. C., Garbelotti, C. V., da Silva, M. M., Kunes, V., & Monesi, N. (2023). Biocatalytic potential of Pseudolycoriella CAZymes (Sciaroidea, Diptera) in degrading plant and fungal cell wall polysaccharides. Iscience, 26(4).
2. Chimeno, C., Hausmann, A., Schmidt, S., Raupach, M. J., Doczkal, D., Baranov, V., & Hebert, P. D. (2022). Peering into the darkness: DNA barcoding reveals surprisingly high diversity of unknown species of Diptera (Insecta) in Germany. Insects, 13(1), 82.
3. Smith, J. E., White, P. F., Edmondson, R. N., & Chandler, D. (2006). Effect of different Agaricus species on the development of the mushroom sciarid fly Lycoriella ingenua. Entomologia Experimentalis et applicata, 120(1), 63-69.
2. Chimeno, C., Hausmann, A., Schmidt, S., Raupach, M. J., Doczkal, D., Baranov, V., & Hebert, P. D. (2022). Peering into the darkness: DNA barcoding reveals surprisingly high diversity of unknown species of Diptera (Insecta) in Germany. Insects, 13(1), 82.
3. Smith, J. E., White, P. F., Edmondson, R. N., & Chandler, D. (2006). Effect of different Agaricus species on the development of the mushroom sciarid fly Lycoriella ingenua. Entomologia Experimentalis et applicata, 120(1), 63-69.
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