Curriculum Vitae
SOME HISTORY:
I graduated in 1978 at Leiden University with majors in plant ecology, limnology/hydrobiology and animal ecology. During the last few years of my studies I taught biology, part-time, at a Leiden high-school. A Fulbright-Hays competitive grant allowed me to conduct a year’s research at the Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, USA, comparing the life histories of several whitefly parasitoid species (1978-1979). From 1980 to 1984 I conducted my PhD at the Department of Animal Ecology of Leiden University, working on the comparative ecology of hymenopterous parasitoids. During the end of this period I was appointed at the Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University to work on mechanisms and function of behavioural variability (especially through learning) in insects. This work included experimental chemical ecology and behavioural ecology of insects in a multi-trophic context, with an emphasis on plant-parasitoid interactions. Important results were the recognition of the great importance and generality of behavioural plasticity in parasitoids and the major role of plants in guiding natural enemies to their insect victims. During the 90’s my studies on olfactory information processing broadened to include sensory physiology and neurobiology. Other research topics were the evolution of parasitoid developmental strategies, aggregation pheromones in Drosophila, effects of plant diversity on insect behaviour, and adaptation of insect behaviour and life history to spatial variation in resources.
In 1996 I was awarded the Silverstein - Simeone Award of the International Society of Chemical Ecology (‘in recognition of outstanding research at the forefront of any field of chemical ecology’). In 1997 I became full professor at Wageningen University. In 1999 I spent 6 months doing research at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and in 2003 another 6 months at the University of Toronto. In 2004 I was elected Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). In 2006 I was awarded the British Rank Prize for Nutrition, together with Joop van Lenteren and Marcel Dicke (Lab. of Entomology, WUR).
My ‘life with NIOO-KNAW’ started at the end of 1997 when I became chair of the international Scientific Committee of NIOO-KNAW. Since November 1, 1999 I am appointed as Director of NIOO-KNAW, while remaining Professor in Evolutionary Ecology at Wageningen University. I see it as a challenge to combine my own research with the considerable management task to run a multi centre research institute. In addition I increasingly feel it as a mission to enhance public ecological awareness. The latter is crucial to reach a sustainable society where ecology and economy do not clash but join forces. See Public outreach, ecology meets economy (below).
MY RESEARCH
My research deals with the ecology and evolution of multitrophic systems of plants, herbivore insects and their natural enemies. Being attached to both the NIOO-KNAW and Wageningen University, my present research is conducted in two places: at NIOO in the Department of Terrestrial Ecology and in Wageningen in the Laboratory of Entomology. In both places I collaborate with several excellent and enthusiastic scientists and supervise PhD students. There is fruitful interaction between the groups and collaboration in several research projects.
Ecology is an interdisciplinary science and this is nicely reflected by my own research. Using behavioural, chemical ecological but also neurobiological and genomic) approaches, we study the functioning of natural enemies in a multitrophic context. At the NIOO we focus on the role of plant defence in linking above- and belowground multitrophic interactions, and in shaping community structure. In Wageningen we focus on insect behaviour and information processing. We have close collaborations with several international high quality research groups.
I investigate the evolution of foraging and life history traits of insects that function in a diverse multitrophic world. Throughout my career I favoured a species-comparative approach to answer evolutionary questions and it still pays off. With the behavioural approach I compare the foraging behaviour of parasitic insects. How do they deal with spatial variation of their hosts and host-food plants? The chemical ecological approach is used to study the infochemical use by the foraging insect parasitoids. How, when and why do parasitoids use plant odours to locate their hosts? The neurobiological research line is closely linked to this and investigates information processing (learning and memory) of these plant odours by the parasitoids. We increasingly enter the field of genomics to study the genes that are involved in this odour learning.
My research ranges from fundamental to strategic. The fundamental questions relate to understanding the evolution of species traits and species interactions within communities. Understanding the functioning of herbivores and their natural enemies in natural and agro-ecosystems is crucial for the strategic development of sustainable agro ecosystems that are primarily based on the prevention of pests and diseases (life-support function of biodiversity).
Research Interests: Evolutionary ecology of multitrophic systems; Search strategy and life history of insect parasitoids; Role of infochemicals; Information processing; genomics
PUBLIC OUTREACH, ECOLOGY MEETS ECONOMY! See my TED-lecture online: http://www.tedxamsterdam.nl/2009/video-louise-vet-on-the-marriage-between-economy-and-ecology/
Apart from my professional interest in high quality ecological scientific research, I work on achieving a good marriage between ecology and economy. I am an optimist by nature and I believe in the power of positive action. Pointing to positive achievements is crucial to get things done in the future. It will stimulate positive awareness, additional action, creative solutions and multiple approaches, e.g. partnerships as a tool to conserve biodiversity. It will arouse political involvement (you can score with successes) and stimulate technical solutions where possible. It facilitates the achievement of consumer-driven demands that are very powerful to persuade or force industries to take their responsibilities.
As a director of NIOO and a board member of IUCN Netherlands I promote ecogical awareness to put the conservation of (international) biodiversity on the political agenda. I advocate the transition from a linear to a circular economy where waste is used as food for other products and processes, where solar energy is used and local diversity in solutions, products, processes is respected (Cradle to Cradle philosophy by Braungart and McDonough). I have good connections to local governments, politicians and, through IUCNs Leaders for Nature, with CEO's and young professionals of large companies.
Practice what you preach: a new NIOO building is presently being built with the ambition to become the most sustainable laboratory/office complex in the Netherlands (see www.nioo.knaw.nl/nieuwbouw).
JUST A POEM
a non-issue to most
or a mild concern
to us the mere facts - a foot that prints
a climate that returns our indifferent interference
with sturdy storms and warmer tears
a mission felt so strong and strange
to dim the lightness of our existence
urging the crowd to lessen and listen to mother earth
no longer crying wolf
but crying for help
and with her the forests and the emptying seas
is it a dream
sustainable growth and living from the sun
and not the fossil earth
economy embracing ecology
that all creatures small and beautiful will rejoice
where climate changes at rates of thousands
not generations
one planet for all - to stay
to share and perpetuate life
as it should be
let there be light soon
the right light
at the end of the tunnel
louise vet
PHD-STUDENTS
SOURCE OF FUNDING, TITLE PROJECT, YEAR FINISHED:
1. Noldus, Lucas P.J.J. Chemical espionage by parasitic wasps: how Trichogramma species exploit moth sex pheromone systems. 1989 (co-promotor).
2. Waeckers, Felix L. Multisensory foraging by hymenopterous parasitoids 1994 (co-promotor).
3. Potting, Roel P.J. WOTRO. Hunting for hiding hosts: the behavioral ecology of the stemborer parasitoid Cotesia flavipes. 1996 (co-promotor).
4. Geervliet, Jacqueline B.F.WU BRAIO-grant: Infochemical use by insect parasitoids in a tritrophic context: comparison of a generalist and a specialist. 1997.
5. Vos, Matthijs. WU. Adaptation of parasitoid foraging strategies to the spatial distribution of host species. 2001.
6. Wertheim, Bregje. ALW-NWO. Why do drosophilid flies produce volatile aggregation pheromones when it guides parasitoids to their offspring? 2001.
7. Burger, Joep. WU. To feed or to reproduce, that’s the question: an analysis of foraging decisions in the parasitoid Encarsia formosa. 2002.
8. Gohole, Linnet S. NUFFIC. Effects of molasses grass (Melinus minutiflora) on the foraging behaviour and searching efficiency of cereal stemborer parasitoids in cereal based cropping systems (ICIPE, Kenya). 2003.
9. Buitenhuis, Roos: Canadian funding. Université Laval. Comparative studies on life history and searching behaviour of aphid hyperparasites. 2003.
10. Charleston, Deidre. IFS. Integration of biological control and enhanced host plant resistance: evaluation in a tritrophic context (Pretoria, South Africa). 2004.
11. Bleeker, Maartje A.K. ALW-NWO. Learning-related differences in olfactory information processing in two closely related parasitic wasps: phenotypic plasticity analyzed from behavior to neuron. 2005.
12. Bukovinszky, Tibor. ALW-NWO. Enhanced biodiversity of arthropod natural enemies for sustainable control of herbivores. 2004.
13. Talsma, Joanneke. ALW-NWO.Direct and indirect defence: compatible or conflicting plant strategies? 2007.
14. Leur, Hanneke van. ALW-NWO. From genetic code to ecological interactions: molecular, phytochemical, and ecological aspects of glucosinolate polymorphism in Barbarea vulgaris. 2007.
15. Soler Gamborena, Roxina. ALW-NWO.Linking interactions between above- and below-ground herbivores and the performance of parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. 2007.
16 Erik Poelman. EPS. Metabolomics of indirect defence in cultivated Brassica oleracea varieties and its effect on insect biodiversity. 2008.
17. Michael van den Berg. WU. Genes involved in learning and memory in insect parasitoids. 2009.
18. Martine Kos, ALW-NWO. Ecological effects of plant resistance traits on above-ground non-target organisms in different genotypes of Brassica and Arabidopsis. 2011.
19. Taiadjana Fortuna. Portugese scholarship. The effects of native and invasive plants on above- and belowground multitrophic interactions involving insect herbivores and their endoparasitoids. 2012.
20. Vartika Mathur. NUFFIC. Molecular, chemical and morphological induced responses of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) and heir effect on Tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura). 2012.
21. Katja Hoedjes. ALW-NWO. Taylor-made memory: fitness consequences of learning and memory traits, investigated by artificial selection on learning rate. 2013.
SELECTION OF ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Elected Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)
- Board Foundation Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)
- Chair Netherlands Ecological Research Network (NERN)
- NWO Task Force Life Sciences
- Supervisory Board Netherlands Genomics Initiative
- Science Advisory Board of the European Science Foundation (ESF)
- Board IUCN Netherlands, (incl Leaders for Nature)
- Supervisory Board (Raad van Toezicht), Natural History Museum Naturalis
- Supervisory Board National Centre for Science and Technology (NCWT, including National Science Museum NEMO, Kennislink, Wetenweek)
- Advisory Board of Institute of Biology, Leiden University
- Profielcommissie N&T N&G (voortgezet onderwijs, OCW) (2004-2007)
- Dutch BioScience Forum
- Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen
- Several editorial boards
- Earth and Life Sciences council of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (Gebiedsbestuur ALW-NWO) (1999-2005)
- NWO/NGI advisory committee on Systems Biology research
- Earth and Life Sciences Board, KNAW
- Nature Conservation Board of Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
Selected Publications
Vet, L.E.M. and Dicke, M. 1992
Ecology of infochemical use by natural enemies in a tritrophic context
Annu. Rev. Entomol 37: 141-172.
Tumlinson, J.H., Lewis W.J., and Vet, L.E.M. 1993
Parasitic wasps, chemically guided intelligent foragers.
Scientific American 268:100-106
Vet, L.E.M., Lewis, W.J. and Cardé, R.T. 1995
Parasitoid foraging and learning
In: Chemical Ecology of Insects, 2nd edition. (eds. Bell W. and Cardé, R.T). pp.65-101.
Publisher: Chapman and Hall.
Vet, L.E.M. de Jong, A.G., Franchi, E. and Papaj, D.R. 1998
The effect of complete versus incomplete information on odour discrimination in a parasitic wasp
Anim. Behav. 55:1271-1279.
Vet, L.E.M. 1999
From chemical to population ecology: infochemical use in an evolutionary context.
J. Chem. Ecol. 25: 31-49.
Vos, M., Moreno Berrocal, S., Karamaouna, F., Hemerik, L. & Vet, L.E.M. 2001
Plant-mediated indirect effects and the persistence of parasitoid-herbivore communities
Ecology Letters 4: 38-45.
Putten, W.H. van der, Vet, L.E.M., Harvey, J.A. and Waeckers, F.L. 2001
Linking above- and belowground multitrophic interactions
Trends Ecol. Evol. (TREE) 16:547-554.
Smid, HM, Bleeker, MAK, van Loon, JJA and Vet, LEM (2003)
Three-dimensional organization of the glomeruli in the antennal lobe of the parasitoid wasps Cotesia glomerata and C. rubecula.
Cell Tissue Res. in press, available on web
Full article: http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00441/contents/02/00659//p...
Mark J. Fitzpatrick, Yehuda Ben-Shahar, Hans M. Smid, Louise E.M. Vet, Gene E. Robinson and Marla B. Sokolowski 2005
Candidate genes for behavioural ecology
Trends in Ecology and Evolution (TREE) 20(2): 96-104
Hoffmeister, T.S., Roitberg, B.D., and Vet L.E.M. 2005
Linking Spatial Processes to Life-History Evolution of Insect Parasitoids
American Naturalist 166(3): E-article
Vet, L.E.M. & Smid, H.M. (eds.) ) 2006
Learning in insects: From behaviour to brain.
Animal Biology (Special Issue) vol. 56, (no. 2). Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.
Smid, Hans M. Guohong Wang, Tibor Bukovinszky, Johannes L.M. Steidle, Maartje A.K. Bleeker, Joop J.A. van Loon & Louise E.M. Vet. 2007
Species-specific acquisition and consolidation of long-term memory in parasitic wasps.
Proc.R.Soc.B., 274: 1539-1546
Vet, L.E.M. and H.C.J. Godfray 2007
Multitrophic Interactions and Parasitoid Behavioural Ecology
in: E. Wajnberg, C. Bernstein, J. van Alphen, editors. Behavioral Ecology of Insect Parasitoids from Theoretical Approaches to Field Applications Pages 231-252
Publisher: Blackwell
Downloads
PUBLIST 01-03-09.DOC is my Publication list until April 2009
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