Miguel G. Ximenez-Embun

Biology Centre CAS · Department of ecology

Ecological communities are composed of many species, forming complex networks of interactions. Current environmental changes are altering the structure and species composition of ecological networks, which could modify interactions, either directly or indirectly. To predict changes in the functioning of communities, we need to understand whether sp...

Current global changes are reshaping ecological communities and modifying environmental conditions. We need to recognize the combined impact of these biotic and abiotic factors on species interactions, community dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, the strength of predator prey interactions often depends on the presence of other natura...

Current global changes are reshaping ecological communities and modifying environmental conditions. We need to recognize the combined impact of these biotic and abiotic factors on species interactions, community dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, the strength of predator-prey interactions often depends on the presence of other natura...

Ecological communities are composed of many species, forming complex networks of interactions. Current environmental changes are altering community composition. We thus need to identify which aspects of species interactions are primarily driven by community structure and which by species identity to predict changes in the functioning of communities...

Interaction between plants and their environment is changing as a consequence of the climate change and global warming, increasing the performance and dispersal of some pest species which become invasive species. Tetranychus evansi also known as the tomato red spider mite, is an invasive species which has been reported to increase its performance w...

Climate change is expected to increase drought periods and the performance and dispersal of some invasive species such as Tetranychus evansi, which has been reported to take advantage of the nutritional changes induced by water-shortage on the tomato cultivar Moneymaker (MM). We have examined the implications for mite’s biology of four accessions o...

Climate change is expected to bring longer periods of drought and this may affect the plant’s ability to resist pests. We assessed if water deficit affects the tomato russet mite (TRM; Aculops lycopersici), a key tomato-pest. TRM thrives on tomato by suppressing the plant’s jamonate defenses while these defenses typically are modulated by drought s...

The performance of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on plants depends on the rate of adaptation of mite populations to each particular host and can be influenced by environmental conditions. We have tested the effects of drought stress, caused by water deficiency, in the interaction of tomato plants with tomato adapted (TA) an...

Climate change will bring more drought periods that will have an impact on the irrigation practices of some crops like tomato, from standard water regime to deficit irrigation. This will promote changes in plant metabolism and alter their interactions with biotic stressors. We have tested if mild or moderate drought-stressed tomato plants (simulati...

Effect of mild drought at mite infestation and at 4 and 10 days post infestation (dpi) on: a) tomato stomatal conductance (gs); b) maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm); c) stem length; d) plant aerial dry weight. Data are mean ± SE. * Indicates significant difference within each time (Three-way ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test, P<0.0...

Several recombinant antibodies against the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), one of the most important pests in agriculture worldwide, were selected for the first time from a commercial phage display library of human scFv antibodies. The specificity and sensitivity of the selected recombinant antibodies...

Co-evolutionary theory underpins our understanding of interactions in nature involving plant-herbivore and host-parasite interactions. However, many studies that are published in the empirical literature that have explored life history and development strategies between endoparasitoid wasps and their hosts are based on species that have no evolutio...

Course: Academic Consultancy Training (YMC 60809) Project: Sustainable development of greenhouse horticulture in developing countries (756) Commissioner: Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture Contact person: Ir. C.J.M. van der Lans Coach: Dr. Ir. J.W. Hofstee Expert: Prof. Dr. O. van Kooten A lot of capital is attracted in the initiation of Dutch h...