Université Laval
Postdoctoral fellow candidate
Supervisor: Edel Pérez-López
Start: 2023-09-04
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Project

Tracing the origin of Empoasca fabae immigrants in Québec using stable isotopes and microbiome analysis
Empoasca fabae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is an insect species native to North America. This insect is an economically important pest of crops such as alfalfa and potatoes. Annually, E. fabae migrates from its estimated overwintering zone in the Southeastern US to northern parts of the US and eastern Canada by May and June. Given the limited understanding of its migratory aspects, we asked: (i) What areas are sources of migratory individuals? (ii) When the adult population peaks, does it indicate multiple migratory events or local population buildup? (iii) What wind sources assist the migration of E. fabae? To answer these questions, we will use a combination of multiple isotope geolocators, including hydrogen, strontium, and sulfur on the wings and body of adults, and perform microbiome sequencing on field-collected individuals over time in four geographical locations in Québec. We expect to estimate the source's location based on the isotope signature and to uncover temporal-level differences among individuals, likely associated with migratory events, based on their microbiome. Finally, we will develop trajectory analysis to identify how winds assist the migration of E. fabae.