Research topics

Interactions of herbivorous insects in trophic webs:

• Diversity and host specificity of insect herbivores.
• Role of microbial symbionts in host specificity of insect herbivores.
• Tritrophic interactions predator–herbivore–plant. 
• Trophic strategies and diversity of associated parasitoids.
• Specifics of bryophagous insect trophic strategies.
• Aphid biodiversity and plant life history traits.
• Insect food webs along vertical gradient of temperate forests.

Evolution of mycophagous insects with respect on evolution of herbivory:

• Host specificity of selected model taxa of gall midges (Cecidomyiidae). 
• Coevolution of fungi and ambrosia gall midges (Cecidomyiidae).

Recent topics dealing with applied research:

• Biodegradation potential of fungal symbionts of herbivorous insects and their host plants.
• Cultivation, sequencing and molecular identification of fungal pathogens in plant tissues.
• Identification of insect pests on woody plants.
• Assessment of environmental changes and risks using model insect taxa.
• Biostatistics, quantitative analysis of ecological data and ecological modelling.