Research teams focus on four main areas, from the study of genomes to ecosystems, organisms and populations. Cutting-edge laboratory techniques are combined with field studies in various aquatic ecosystems. The Unit is closely involved in student training, notably via the Master in Organismal Biology and Ecology co-organized with UCL.

Ecology and evolutionary genetics

Our laboratory tackles fundamental questions of evolutionary biology. The study of evolutionary paradoxes is at the heart of our research. On the one hand, we are interested in the impact of reproductive modes on evolution. We are studying the rare groups of organisms that have abandoned sexuality but achieved real evolutionary success, being described as "evolutionary scandals". On the other hand, we study the problem of "expanding" species (invasive exotic species or native species reclaiming territories) in order to understand the dynamics of these phenomena and their influence on the contemporary world. The laboratory draws on a variety of tools (field, cellular and molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics) to better understand these evolutionary processes from different angles. Karine van Doninck

Evolutionary and adaptive physiology

The main objective is to understand how organisms adapt and evolve in a continuously changing environment (temperature, pollution, etc.). We attempt to link phenotypic responses (physiological, behavioral) to molecular responses (proteomic, transcriptomic, biochemical). Recently, we have been developing environmental epigenetics to explain the transmission of traits from parents to offspring. We are working on freshwater aquatic species (zebrafish, mosquitofish) and marine species (mangrove killifish). Frédéric Silvestre - http://www.evolution-physiology.be

Environmental physiology and toxicology

How is the physiology of aquatic organisms (fish, crustaceans and amphibians) modified in the face of environmental disturbances induced by polluting chemicals (pesticides, endocrine disruptors, etc.) or global climate change? Particular research attention is being paid to interactions between xenobiotics and organisms' immune responses. The impact of multiple stressors, combining chemical, physical or pathogenic stress, is being studied under natural conditions as well as in aquaculture systems, in temperate or tropical environments (SE Asia, Africa). In aquaculture, the focus is on the study of nutritional requirements, as part of a diversification of farmed species. Patrick Kestemont - http://www.physiotox.be

Environmental ecology of ecosystems

How do the composition and diversity of aquatic communities change in the face of environmental variation? Are these changes predictable and, if so, based on what theory? What are the consequences of these changes for ecosystem functioning? Our mission is to answer these questions, by developing a multidisciplinary approach combining ecological theory, field data and controlled experiments, often using chemical substances as environmental variables. Our scientific activities therefore lie at the interface of environmental sciences, ecosystem and community ecology, and ecotoxicology. Frederik de Laender - https://eccology.eu/

Applied ecology

The Unit is also developing more applied research responding to concrete issues in aquatic environment management. These include the study of fish population dynamics (eel, etc.), stock depletion in the Meuse (roach, etc.), food web monitoring and migration control using fish ladders (Saumon2000). On the other hand, the Walphy project brings together scientists and managers to design, carry out and evaluate river restoration work.