Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/M006018/1
Ecosystem Service Providers: Taxonomy and Biology of Parasitoids and Pollinators
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr A Polaszek, The Natural History Museum, Life Sciences
- Grant held at:
- The Natural History Museum, Life Sciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- Biological control
- Natural enemies
- Crop protection
- Biodiversity
- Applied ecology
- Earth & environmental
- Insects
- Animal organisms
- Abstract:
- A detailed introduction to insect parasitoids and pollinators, with a European focus, and emphasis on groups of economic importance. Parasitoid wasps: Identification to at least family/subfamily-level for all parasitoid groups. Emphasis on chalcid wasps (Chalcidoidea), presenting all specialised specimen preparation techniques, including those associated with DNAsequencing studies. Other lecturers are specialists on Ichneumonoidea (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) which include many groups of economic importance, and Platygastroidea. A new interactive key to 90+ extant families of Hymenoptera will be tested. Pollinators (bees): A detailed introduction to European pollinators, focussing on bees. Identification to genus-level for all 71 genera of bees, both male and female specimens. The course organiser is the author of an online multi-entry key using Lucid software, developed for the recent ALARM project. The key has been tried and tested successfully on previous courses. Paul Williams is the world authority on bumblebees (Bombus spp), and is able to instruct the identification of this major group of pollinators and bioindicators to species-level. Michael Kuhlmann is the world authority on the major pollinator genus Colletes. David Notton is a skilled instructor in both aculeate and parasitoid Hymenoptera. General: The course will include training sessions in specimen preparation methods and terminology, as well as the known biology of all parasitoid families and all pollinator genera treated. Trainees will prepare a personal reference collection of the major families and genera which they will identify and retain. Each trainee will also be given a detailed training manual and other materials, based on those used in previous successful courses over the past 2 decades. The course organiser and two of the three co-instructors have many years of experience teaching this course in collaboration with Imperial College. The venue and all necessary expertise, materials and specimens are available in-house, dates are entirely flexible. Course length: 10 days (2 working weeks) Venue: Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity, the Natural History Museum Maximum number of participants: 12 Suitable for: Biocontrol practitioners and/or researchers. Students, PhD students working on pollination ecology, pollinator conservation; Researchers undertaking ecological / environmental / conservation studies; practitioners and/or researchers in conservation, agriculture (including forestry and horticulture); dedicated amateurs. Course structure: Mornings - lectures/practicals; afternoons - general practicals, specialised practicals (i.e. can be catered to individual requirements). Week 1: general Introduction to Hymenoptera (AP); classification and biology; Collecting, processing and mounting methods (ALL); Parasitoids: Ichneumonoidea (GB); Chalcidoidea (AP, ND-S); Platygastroidea and other superfamilies (AP, DN); Week 2: Introduction to Apoidea (AP, MK); classification and biology (MK, AP); Identification of European Apoidea genera (AP, MK); bumblebees (PAW); Course summary and assessment (AP). Throughout the course there will be opportunities to meet other appropriate NHM staff according to participants' interests and tours of collection areas and facilties. Lectures will focus on parasitoid and pollinator diversity, morphology and biology, specialised terminology and study methods. Collection and preparation of specimens for study, handling under the microscope. Available literature, including identification guides both published and unpublished, including an online, multiple entry keys to parasitoid families and all (71) European bee genera.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/M006018/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £28,583
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £28,583 |
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