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Article Reference Taxonomic revision of the family Squalodontidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti): emptying the wastebasket of fragmentary holotypes
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Fungal alkaloids mediate defense against bruchid beetles in field populations of an arborescent ipomoea
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Nouvelle observation de Chlorophorus varius (O.F. Müller 1766) en Belgique (Coleoptera Cerambycidae Cerambycinae Clytini)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference A report of the unusual presence of Haplotaxis cf. gordioides in a terrestrial subsoil and first isotopic analysis of its trophic position
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Anatomical description and digital reconstruction of the skull of Jeholosaurus shangyuanensis (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda) from China
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
Article Reference BIRDIE: A data pipeline to inform wetland and waterbird conservation at multiple scales
Introduction: Efforts to collect ecological data have intensified over the last decade. This is especially true for freshwater habitats, which are among the most impacted by human activity and yet lagging behind in terms of data availability. Now, to support conservation programmes and management decisions, these data need to be analyzed and interpreted; a process that can be complex and time consuming. The South African Biodiversity Data Pipeline for Wetlands and Waterbirds (BIRDIE) aims to help fast and efficient information uptake, bridging the gap between raw ecological datasets and the information final users need. <br /><br /> Methods: BIRDIE is a full data pipeline that takes up raw data, and estimates indicators related to waterbird populations, while keeping track of their associated uncertainty. At present, we focus on the assessment of species abundance and distribution in South Africa using two citizen-science bird monitoring datasets, namely: the African Bird Atlas Project and the Coordinated Waterbird Counts. These data are analyzed with occupancy and state-space models, respectively. In addition, a suite of environmental layers help contextualize waterbird population indicators, and link these to the ecological condition of the supporting wetlands. Both data and estimated indicators are accessible to end users through an online portal and web services. <br /><br /> Results and discussion: We have designed a modular system that includes tasks, such as: data cleaning, statistical analysis, diagnostics, and computation of indicators. Envisioned users of BIRDIE include government officials, conservation managers, researchers and the general public, all of whom have been engaged throughout the project. Acknowledging that conservation programmes run at multiple spatial and temporal scales, we have developed a granular framework in which indicators are estimated at small scales, and then these are aggregated to compute similar indicators at broader scales. Thus, the online portal is designed to provide spatial and temporal visualization of the indicators using maps, time series and pre-compiled reports for species, sites and conservation programmes. In the future, we aim to expand the geographical coverage of the pipeline to other African countries, and develop more indicators specific to the ecological structure and function of wetlands.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Deterministic and stochastic effects drive the gut microbial diversity in cucurbit-feeding fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Maintaining taxonomic accuracy in genetic databases: A duty for taxonomists— Reanalysis of the DNA sequences from Mercan et al. (2024) on the genus Potamothrix (Annelida, Clitellata) in Turkish lakes
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Inproceedings Reference Restoring nature's health: Investigating the effects of ecosystem restoration on zoonotic disease risk
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) pose a significant threat to global public health. Among the factors contributing to the increase of EIDs today, habitat degradation stands out as a prominent driver, exerting both direct and indirect influences on disease dynamics. While it is commonly assumed that simply reversing ecosystem degradation will restore disease regulation mechanisms, such a presumption may oversimplify the complex response involved. My PhD project aims to delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying the impact of ecosystem restoration on zoonotic disease risk by examining terrestrial small mammal (TSM) and microparasite diversity within sampling sites following a chronosequence of ecosystem restoration in the Congo Basin. Through comprehensive sampling methods, including the capture of TSMs, and collection of iDNA and acoustic samples, the project will investigate how small mammal and microparasite diversity and prevalence evolve over time post-restoration. An emphasis will be placed on a subset of vector-borne and directly transmitted microparasites associated with African TSMs frequently found in the Congo Basin (i.e. Hepaciviruses, Paramyxoviruses, Orthonairovirus, Leptospira, Bartonella, and Anaplasma). The findings of this study will help unravel the complex interactions between ecosystem restoration, biodiversity, and zoonotic disease risk, offering crucial insights for the improvement and safeguarding of human, animal, and ecosystem health. This research is situated within the framework of the RESTOREID project (Horizon Europe; PI: Herwig Leirs), which aims to investigate the role of landscape restoration in mitigating disease risk using various field sites in Europe and Africa.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Inproceedings Reference Supporting the One Health approach in Belgium: identification of policy-relevant organisms and tissues by BopCo
Accurate species identification is crucial in the One Health framework because it underpins the ability to effectively monitor, prevent, and mitigate the emergence and spread of human and animal infectious diseases and zoonoses. Moreover, misidentification can lead to inadequate risk assessments, allowing infectious agents or invasive alien species to spread undetected, thereby threatening biodiversity, ecosystem stability, and public health. BopCo is a Belgian research unit that provides such accurate identifications of organisms and biological tissues with relevance for policy and decision-making processes. It is jointly run by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and the Royal Museum for Central Africa, and has access to extensive reference collections, expert taxonomists, and a comprehensive research infrastructure. BopCo uses morphology and DNA-based approaches to handle on-demand species identification requests, and it is a partner on various projects within the One Health context. In this framework, BopCo contributes to identifying the introduction pathways and dispersal dynamics of two invasive mosquito species in Belgium, Aedes albopictus and Ae. japonicus, as part of the MEMO+ project in collaboration with Sciensano and the Institute of Tropical Medicine. Using various DNA identification techniques, BopCo verifies the species identity of the exotic mosquitoes collected at multiple points of entry. Similarly, the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces is investigating the Culicidae mosquito biodiversity at foreign deployment sites. BopCo takes part in this project by providing DNA-based identifications to support the Laboratory for Vector-Borne Diseases of the Queen Astrid Military Hospital. Accurate identification of the various mosquito species is important since they are known vectors of pathogens of significant public health concern such as Western Nile virus, Plasmodium parasites, and dengue virus. Furthermore, BopCo is involved in the monitoring of (exotic) animal product imports into Belgium within the INTERCEPT project, in collaboration with the University of Antwerp. Within this project, meat intercepted from passenger’s luggage at Brussels Airport was sampled and identified using DNA barcoding to prevent the import of transmittable animal diseases and the introduction of invasive alien species. Finally, BopCo contributed to the discovery of the first occurrence of Trichobilharzia regenti in Belgium, a blood parasite of birds, which may try to infect humans, triggering painful skin lesions known as “swimmer’s itch”. Following a reported case in Kampenhout, Belgium, researchers at the Royal Museum for Central Africa and KU Leuven captured freshwater snails (the intermediate hosts) and performed a shedding experiment, after which BopCo used a DNA analysis to identify the shed parasites, unveiling the presence of T. regenti. BopCo continually seeks partnerships with research institutes and government agencies to deliver accurate species identifications within a One Health framework and other policy-relevant research contexts.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025