Research project Community dynamics of systemic diseases on the wood anemone
I am fascinated by the spatial and eco-evolutionary dynamics of host-parasite interactions. We do lack some generality though: many of the existing studies have (for good reasons!) focused on single pathogen species, and on non-systemic diseases with high extinction-colonization rates.
In this project, we aim to uncover the distribution and infection dynamics of four systemic fungal pathogens in natural populations of one of Sweden’s charismatic forest herbs: the wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa). Specially, we monitor the distribution and abundance of natural populations of the wood anemone and its fungal pathogens both spatially and temporally in the Tullgarn area since 2017. Furthermore, we use long-term experimental studies to investigate whether and how plants cure themselves from systemic diseases, how the diseases interact, how effective the diseases are in colonizing new host plants, and how fungal diseases effect the herbivore and pollinator community of the wood anemone.
The project started 2016 and will go on until retirement.
Project members
Project managers
Ayco Tack
Professor
