Line Ugelvig

Postdoctoral Researcher

IST Austria
Am Campus 1
A-3400 Klosterneuburg

Tel: +43 664 604 84 3406
email: line.ugelvig (AT) ist.ac.at

Download CV & Publication List
Lab publications

RESEARCH INTEREST

My research interest lies in the ecology and evolution of social insects and the symbiotic relationships they engage in – being mutualistic or parasitic.

Pathogen detection in ant societies

Theory predicts that transmission of pathogens is facilitated in societies, as these often comprise related individuals living together at high densities with frequent interactions. Rapid detection of – and response to – incoming pathogens is thus crucial to prevent disease outbreaks. My previous work has shown that ants indeed react immediately to pathogens in the colony by performance of collective disease defences (Ugelvig & Cremer, 2007; Ugelvig et al. 2010). I am now interested in studying the cues that allow this rapid detection. I study both behavioural and chemical changes of diseased ants and cues released by the pathogens themselves to understand the underlying mechanisms of the detection process, and the following behavioural response.