Carlos Lopez-Vaamonde
Research Scientist
National Institut of Agronomique Research – Center of Orléans
Forest Zoology Unit
2163 Avenue de la Pomme de Pin
BP 20619 Ardon, 45166 Orléans CEDEX 2, France
Phone : +33 (0) 2 38 41 78 61
Fax: +33 (0) 2 38 41 78 79
Email : carlos.lopez-vaamonde@orleans.inra.fr
Education and professional experience
2012: Habilitation to Direct Research, Orléans University, France
2005- present : Researcher, National Institut of Agronomique Research, Orléans, France
2002-2004 : Postdoc, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, UK.
1998-2002 : Ph.D. Imperial College at Silwood Park, University of London, UK.
1996-1997 : M.Sc. Imperial College & The Natural History Museum, London, UK.
1993-1996 : Research Assistant, CABI Bioscience, Delemont, Switzerland.
1987-1992 : BSc. in Biological Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Research interests
My main research is focused on three main areas:
·
Biology of invasion
Determining the origin of alien invasive species is crucial to developing effective management strategies. We focus our studies on the highly invasive horse-chesnut leafming moth Cameraria ohridella. Its larvae are leaf miners on the white flowering horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), causing significant damage to their summer foliage. Our genetic studies have shown that C. ohridella is native from southern Balkans.
C. ohridella is an urban pest and as such its control is achieved by destroying fallen leaves (containing overwintering pupae) every Autumn. However this control measure is labour intensive and expensive. Classical biocontrol with either enrichement of local native parasitoids or introduction of a new biocontrol agent remains the best option.
Using molecular markers we have studied Pediobius saulius, a pupal parasitoid and identified a Balkan clade that mainly attacks C. ohridella.
Integrative Taxonomy and DNA barcoding
An accurate taxonomic identification and delimitation of species is crucial for an early detection of alien species. Indeed, alien insect species often arrive as immature stages and are difficult to identify using morphology. I use an integrative approach combining detailed morphological studies with DNA barcoding. I am currently developing DNA barcoding libraries for rapid an accurate identification of insect groups that have a high number of invasive species such as the family of leaf-mining moths Gracillariidae.
DNA barcoding offers a new robust and objective way to explore and document species richness at an unequalled pace. Barcodes can characterize operational units and be used as proxy for species in groups with no available taxonomy. As such, they offer a unique way toward documenting these unknowns of the biodiversity of our planet.
Conservation Genetics
The conservation of biodiversity is a priority that has lead to the elaboration of multiple Red Lists in an effort to document the status of endangered species. Invertebrates are badly underrepresented in the last version of the Red list of the World Conservation Union not because of lower threat levels but for lack of information on their ecology and genetics. This lack of data currently represents a major obstacle to conservation of many invertebrate species.
I focus on Graellsia isabellae (Graëlls, 1849) a highly protected moth (Saturniidae). There is neither genetic nor population data which would allow to set up a suitable conservation plan for this species. We have recently developed a non lethal sampling method to extract and PCR amplify DNA from the hind wing tails of adults of Graellsia isabellae.. We have also identified its sexual pheromone, which we use in field surveys to update the distribution range of this species. We have also developed polymorphic microsatellite markers.
Representative Publications
Lopez Vaamonde, C., Breman, F.C., Lees, D.C., Van Houdt, J. Van & De Prins, J. (2012). Analysis of tissue dependent DNA yield for optimal sampling of micromoths in large-scale biodiversity surveys. European Journal of Entomology, 109: 1-6.
Hernandez-Lopez, A. Rougerie, R. Tomov, R., Kenis M., Augustin, S., Cota, E., Kullaj, E., Hansson, C., Grabenweger, G. A. Roques, Lopez Vaamonde, C. (2011). Host tracking or cryptic adaptation? phylogeography of Pediobius saulius (Hymenoptera, eulophidae), a parasitoid of the highly invasive horse chestnut leafminer. Evolutionary Applications, 5 (3): 256-269
Kawahara, Y. , I. Ohshima, A. Kawakita, J. C. Regier, C. Mitter, M. P. Cummings, D. R. Davis, D. L. Wagner, J. De Prins & C. Lopez-Vaamonde (2011). Increased gene sampling provides stronger support for higher-level groups within gracillariid leaf mining moths and relatives (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). BMC Evolutionary Biology, 11: 18 doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-11-182
Lees, D.C., Lack, H. W., Rougerie, R.Hernandez, A., Raus, T., Avtzis, N.D., Augustin, S. & Lopez-Vaamonde, C. (2011). Tracking origins of invasive herbivores using herbaria and archival DNA: the case of the horse-chestnut leafminer. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 9 (6): 322-328
R. Rougerie, M.A. Smith, J. Fernandez Triana, C. Lopez-Vaamonde, S. Ratnasingham, P. Hebert (2010). Molecular Analysis of Parasitoid linkages (MAPL): gut-contents of adult parasitoid wasps reveal larval host. Molecular Ecology, 20: 179-186
J.G. Millar, J.S. Mcelfresh, C. Romero, M. Vila, N. Mari Mena & C. Lopez-Vaamonde (2010). Identification of the Sex Pheromone of a Protected Species, the Spanish Moon Moth Graellsia isabellae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Journal of Chemical Ecology, 36:923-932.
Lopez-Vaamonde C et al. (2010) Lepidoptera. Chapter 11. In: Roques A et al. (Eds) Alien terrestrial arthropods of Europe. BioRisk 4(2): 603–668.
M. Vila, N. Mari Mena, S-H. Yen & C. Lopez-Vaamonde (2010). Characterization of ten polymorphic microsatellite markers for the protected Spanish Moon Moth Graellsia isabelae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Conservation Genetics, 11 (3): 1151-1154
J. De Prins, R. Mozuraitis, C. Lopez-Vaamonde & R. Rougerie (2009). Sex attractant, distribution and DNA barcodes for the Afrotropical leaf-mining moth Phyllonorycter melanosparta (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)(2009). Zootaxa, 2281: 53-67
R. Valade, M. Kenis, A. Hernandez, S. Augustin, N. Mari Mena, E. Magnoux, R. Rougerie, F. Lakatos, A. Roques & C. Lopez-Vaamonde (2009). Mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers reveal a Balkan origin for the highly invasive Horse-Chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lep. Gracillariidae). Molecular Ecology, 18: 3458-3470.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, N. Wikström, K. M. Kjer, G. D. Weiblen. J.Y. Rasplus, C. Machado, J. M. Cook. (2009). Molecular dating and biogeography of fig-pollinating wasps. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 52: 715-726.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, N. E. Raine, J. W. Koning, R. M. Brown, J. J. M. Pereboom, T. C. Ings, O. Ramos-Rodriguez, W. C. Jordan & A. F. G. Bourke. (2009). Lifetime reproductive success and longevity of queens in an annual social insect. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 22 (5): 983-996.
M. Vila, Auger-Rozenberg, M.A., Goussard, F., Lopez-Vaamonde, C. (2009). Effect of non-lethal sampling on life history traits of the protected moth Graellsia isabelae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Ecological Entomology, 34: 356-362
M. Kenis, .M-A. Auger-Rozenberg, A. Roques, L. Timms, C. Péré, M.J.W. Cock, J. Settele, S. Augustin & C. Lopez-Vaamonde, (2009). Ecological effects of invasive alien insects. Biological Invasions, 11: 21-45
N. Mari Mena, R. Valade, E. Magnoux, S. Augustin & C. Lopez-Vaamonde (2008). Microsatellites for the highly invasive Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) and their amplification in related species. European Journal of Entomology, 105: 945-948
A. Roques, W. Rabitsch, JY Rasplus, C. Lopez-Vaamonde, W. Nentwig & M. Kenis, (2008). Alien terrestrial invertebrates of Europe. In W. Nentwig, P. Hulme, P. Pysek, M. Vila (Eds), Handbook of Alien Species in Europe. Springer- Verlag, 63-79
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, R.M. Brown, E.R. Lucas, J.J.M. Pereboom, W. C. Jordan & A. F. G. Bourke, (2007). Effect of the queen on worker reproduction and new queen production in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Apidologie,38 : 171-180.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, N. Wikström, C. Labandeira, H. C. J. Godfray, S. J. Goodman & J. M. Cook, (2006). Fossil-calibrated molecular phylogenies reveal that leaf-mining moths radiated several million years after their host plants. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 19: 1314-1326.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, H. C. J. Godfray, S. West, C. Hansson & J. M. Cook, (2005). The evolution of host use and unusual reproductive strategies in Achrysocharoides parasitoid wasps. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 18: 1029-1041.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, J. W. Koning, W. C. Jordan & A. F. G. Bourke (2004). A test of information use by reproductive bumblebee workers. Animal Behaviour, 68: 611-618.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, J. W. Koning, R.M. Brown, W. C. Jordan & A. F. G. Bourke. (2004). Social parasitism by male-producing reproductive workers in a eusocial insect. Nature, 430: 557-560.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, J. W. Koning, W. C. Jordan & A. F. G. Bourke (2003). No evidence that reproductive bumble bee workers reduce the production of new queens. Animal Behaviour, 66: 577-584.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, H. C. J. Godfray & J. M. Cook. (2003). Evolutionary dynamics of host plant use in a genus of leaf-mining moths. Evolution, 57 (8): 1804-1821.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, D. Dixon, J. M. Cook & J. Y. Rasplus (2002). Revision of the Australian species of Pleistodontes (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) fig-pollinating wasps and their host plant associations. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 136: 637-683.
R. Belshaw, C. Lopez-Vaamonde , N. Degerli & D.L.J.,Quicke (2001).- Paraphyletic taxa and taxonomic chaining: evaluating the classification of braconine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) using 28S D2-3 rDNA sequences and morphological characters. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 73: 411-424.
C. Lopez-Vaamonde, G. Weiblen, J. Y. Rasplus & J. M. Cook (2001).- Molecular phylogenies of fig wasps: Partial co-cladogenesis of pollinators and parasites. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 21 (1): 55-71.
J. M. Cook & C. Lopez-Vaamonde, (2001).- Fig Biology: Turning over new leaves. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 16 (1): 11-13.
Rédacteur : Service Communication Orléans
Contact scientifique : Carlos Lopez-Vaamonde
Directeur de publication : Dominique King
Copyright : Inra, 2006
Unité : UR Zoologie Forestière
Département : Ecologie des Forêts, Prairies et Milieux Aquatiques
Date de création : 11/07/2006
Date de dernière mise à jour : 06/05/2007
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