Research

 

I am a senior researcher currently at Ahi Evran University Department of Biology. My research is focused on two different topics: Analyzing hybridization in the contact zone between two pine processionary moth species in Turkey by using molecular biology techniques and establishing pest management strategies to control the populations of two dangerous forest pests, namely pine processionary moth and chestnut gall wasp in Turkey by fostering parasitoids and other natural enemies. Details are below.

 

• Pine processionary moth species complex: A promising model system for a better understanding of species boundaries and speciation

Together with my colleagues Dr. Carole Kerdelhue (CBGP - INRA - Montpellier - France) and Dr. Christian Burban (UMR BioGeCo - INRA - Bordeaux - France), we recently showed that ranges of the two processionary moth species, Thaumetopoea pityocampa and T. wilkinsoni, contact in western Turkey. These two species are morphologically and behaviorally inseparable (well, we need to look a bit deeper to separate them morphologically, like shape of the male genitalia and as few researchers claimed the female abdomen scales; but I could not find any statistical difference in the latter character so far). Hence we used molecular markers, COI, ITS-1 and photolyase, to identify the species and the contact zone. We found mito-nuclear discordance in some of the individuals in the contact zone, a pattern that looks like introgression of a single mito-haplotype from northern pityocampa to southern wilkinsoni. So I wondered if this pattern is a result of endosymbiont bacteria, such as Wolbachia, that is known to alter reproductive behavior of its host in favor its own survival and thus disperse together with the mito-haplotype that it invades, and finally can cause mito-nuclear discordance in the contact zones. With my microbiologist colleague Dr. Tayfun Kaya (Ahi Evran Uni. - Dept. of Environmental Engineering), We are searching endosymbionts in the processionary larvae samples from the contact zone and its adjacent regions, by using genus-specific markers. We are still working but we could not find any endosymbiont so far. Testing other hypotheses, such as assortative mating, differing survival of hybrid offsprings due to Haldane's Rule, different phenologies etc., will be my future research topics.

At the present, we use a better sampling and microsatellites in addition to the gene fragments above, to understand hybrid zone dynamics. I am working on microsatellite data anaylsis now and results will be ready to publish, soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are my other processionary moth-related works:

-Effects of temperature on feeding habit: This was the topic of MSc thesis, and there I showed that rising temperature increase feeding rate of the processionary caterpillars and blurs host preference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Is the PPM in Turkey going to expand its range in future? I am interested in figuring out how the processionary moth populations in Turkey will respond to global warming.  The picture below is from a modelling study that I am conducting with Dr. Damla Beton (Center for Ecology and Conservation - Uni. of Exeter - Cornwall - UK). Currently we are trying to develop our estimation power by enlarging our data set and using different models (such as MAXENT and GARP) together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Can female abdomen scales be used as a character to separate two PPM species (Thaumetopoea pityocampa and T.wilkinsoni)?

PPM females cover their eggs with scales from their abdomens. These scales are believed to protect the eggs from parasitoid attacks (yet, I haven't read any statistical study showing scale-covered eggs being less parasitized; please let me know if you came across). Shape of the scales have been claimed to be species-specific in some studies; however my observations on the field does not support this claim. I and Dr. Zeycan Helvacı (Biology Dept. - Aksaray Uni. - Turkey) work together to study on this claim by digitizing scale shape. We started by using scales that I have collected from different locations in Turkey previously. Currently we use TPS and Elliptic Fourier Outline Analysis. Preliminary results do not support any differentiation between the two species. But we need an extensive sampling before the ultimate desicion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Pest management based on parasitoids

Working together with the Turkish Ministry of Forestry Department of Forest Pest Management, we are trying to control the Asian chestnut gall wasp (ACGW), Dryocosmus kuriphilus, that has been recently introduced to the chestnut forests in Turkey. It is native to China where sexual populations might exist (but we are not sure, yet), but its invasive populations are known to reproduce asexually. It is one of the most dangerous chestnut pests. The most effective management practice so far is based on its native parasitoid wasp, Torymus sinensis. The Ministry established a T. sinensis rearing station in Yalova where the invasion started and in collaboration with Dr. Andrea Battisti (Padova University, Padova, Italy), we transported T. sinensis adults from Italy to the station for greenhouse experiments and releases to nature. We conducted a FAO project for ACGW management technical assitance in coordination with the Ministry in 2016. I was the national consultant of the project and Dr. Fernanda Colombari was the international consultant. Apart from T. sinensis releases, we conducted awareness raising activities that include comunication with local growers and NGOs, organizing technical workshops, and producing management guidelines and brochures.

Apart from pest management practices, we pursue following questions:

-How does the phenology of the chestnut gall wasp in Turkey differs than that in Italy and in different chestnut forest types in Turkey?

-Can we use chestnut semiochemicals, host clues followed by the chestnut gall wasp to find its host, for management practices?

-What is the relationship of the chestnut gall wasp with gall wasp species feeding on the oak species in the same habitat?

-What is the community-level effects of releasing T. sinensis?

-How does the genetic variation in the European chestnut, Castanea sativa, which is native to Turkey, effect resistance against the chestnut gall wasp?

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                                                                                                  Chestnut gall wasp larvae in a gall                                       

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                                            T. sinensis adults on chestnut gall wasp galls

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                    With the FAO project international consultant, Dr. Fernanda Colombari in Yalova.

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              With the Director of the Quarantine Department, Dr. Metin Karadag and Dr. F. Colombari.