Adèle MENNERAT

Lecturer in Behavioural Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology, and Host-parasite interactions
Team: BIPE
adele.mennerat@u-picardie.fr

Research interests

I am currently under leave of absence for carrying out research, and working at the University of Bergen (Norway) with Sigrunn Eliassen and Christian Jørgensen on the evolution of promiscuity and cooperation in animals

Since 2012 Evolutionary ecology of insect-parasitoid interactions
Keywords: Asobara tabida, natural populations, resistance/counter-resistance interactions, adaptive value of host mortality, population genetics
Collaborators : BIPE / EDYSAN (University of Amiens)

Since 2010 Transmission on host social networks
Keywords: wild passerines, bacterial communities, avian malaria, ARISA
Collaborators: Lucy Aplin, Ben Sheldon (Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University)

Since 2008 Life history and virulence evolution of parasites
Keywords: Lepeophtheirus salmonis, fecundity, age at maturity, intensive farming, artificial selection
Collaborators: Arne Skorping, Olav Moberg (Université of Bergen, Norway), Dieter Ebert (Université of Basel, Switzerland)

Since 2004 Maternal care and preventive medication in small passerines (DPhil)
Keywords: blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus, aromatic plants, ectoparasitic blow flyProtocalliphora spp., bacteria, olfaction
Collaborators: ESP research group (CEFE-CNRS, Montpellier, France), Philipp Heeb (Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France)

Teaching

Basic Ecology (undergraduate)
Evolutionary Ecophysiology (undergraduate)
Zoology (undergraduate)
Behavioural Ecology (undergraduate)
Parasitology (undergraduate)

Selected publications

Mennerat, A. & Sheldon, B.C. 2014 How to deal with PCR contamination in molecular microbial ecology. Microbial Ecology (in press)
Mennerat, A., Hamre, L., Nilsen, F., Ebert, D., Davidova, M. and Skorping, A. 2012. Life history and virulence are linked in the ectoparasitic salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 25, 856-861.
Mennerat, A., Nilsen, F., Ebert, D. and Skorping, A. 2010. Intensive farming: evolutionary implications for parasites and pathogens. Evolutionary Biology 37 (2-3), 59-67.
Mennerat, A., Mirleau, P., Blondel, J., Perret, P., Lambrechts, M.M. and Heeb, P. 2009. Aromatic plants in nests of the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus protect chicks from bacteria. Oecologia 161, 849-855.
Mennerat, A., Perret, P., Bourgault, P., Blondel, J., Gimenez, O., Thomas, D.W., Heeb, P. & Lambrechts, M.M. 2009. Aromatic plants in nests of blue tits: positive effects on nestlings. Animal Behaviour 77, 569-574.

Popular science

Documentary movie for ARTE (public channel 5): « Les animaux médecins » (upcoming broadcast early 2014)
BBC`s report on Earth News: Blue tits embrace aromatherapy. Barrett, L. 2009. Why home decoration can do more than improve appearances… In focus: Featured articles in this month’s Animal Behaviour. Animal Behaviour 77: 559-560.
Gadenne, A., 2010. Des animaux experts en phytothérapie. Plantes et Santé 102 : 12-14.
Blondel, J., Charmantier, A., Doutrelant, C., Grégoire, A., Mennerat, A., Lambrechts, M.M. and Perret, P. 2011. La mésange bleue et le chêne vert. Stantari 27 :18-26.
Skorping, A. &  Mennerat, A. 2009. Lakselus som modell for å forstå utvikling av virulens. Naturen 4: 204-208.