Dr. Maya L. Evenden > Associate Professor
Contact
Room: ES 214A, Biological Sciences
Phone: (780) 492-1873
Fax: (780) 492-9234
Email: mevenden@ualberta.ca
Academic Training
BSc: University of Victoria
Master of Pest Management: Simon Fraser University
PhD: Simon Fraser University
PDF: University of Kentucky
To date my work has focussed on the chemical ecology of mate finding in the Lepidoptera and how sex pheromones can be used in IPM against moth pests. My research program has four major themes that are interconnected and when studied together provide a synthetic approach to understanding the ecology and evolution of chemically mediated interactions and how these interactions can be exploited in pest management. For a given system, all four of these themes can be explored.
1. Behavioural aspects of pheromone production and response in insects.
Initial behavioural studies determine the likelihood of a chemical interaction. These are followed by collaborative behavioural and physiological studies to isolate and identify the signal. Identity of the chemical signal permits experimentation into the ecological factors that mould the interaction under variable environmental conditions. The interaction is then viewed from an evolutionary perspective to answer questions about why the associated behaviours evolved.
2. Interspecific chemical communication within and between trophic levels.
Chemical signals also mediate behavioural interactions among heterospecific individuals in the same and different trophic levels. Interactions may be driven by specific signals or signals that are used primarily for intraspecific communication and are exploited by heterospecifics. When examining interspecific chemically mediated interactions, questioning follows a similar trajectory as outlined above but may require an ecosystem approach to fully understand the interactions involved.
3. Genetic variation in pheromone production and response.
The necessity of signal and response coordination in pheromone-based communication leads to the question of how variation for pheromone signals is maintained and new signals arise within a population. One approach to answering this question is to determine if additive genetic variation exists in pheromone production and response to the signal. Artificial selection pressure can then be imposed on the system to determine the possibility for the evolution of a new pheromone signal.
4. Development of novel semiochemical-based pest management programs.
Knowledge of the role that chemical cues play in ecological situations permits exploitation of chemical communication by pest managers. Synthetic copies of chemical signals can be used to monitor pest populations and to directly control them. I approach the development of IPM programs by determining the mechanism of the approach and then determining its efficacy. If the mechanism of the tactic is known, limitations of the tactic can be addressed before the program is implemented.
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Last Modified:2005-07-27 |