Nematology Research Unit

The Nematology research unit has more than 80 years of experience in nematological research.

Currently we focus on taxonomy, phylogeny, morphology, and biology of nematodes from natural and agricultural ecosystems, including free-living, plant-parasitic, virus-vector, facultatively parasitic, and entomopathogenic nematodes.

Focusing from the backbone of nematode phylogeny to species delineation, we integrate a tradition of light-microscopy and ultrastructural morphology with molecular approaches.

Current topics under investigation in our research unit include:

Optimizing nematode taxonomy: combining morphology and DNA-based species delimitation; (digital) morphological vouchers of sequenced individuals; sequences and ecology of specimens from type populations; DNA barcoding and comprehensive databanks.
(See also www.nematodes.myspecies.info )
Diversity of plant-parasitic and entomopathogenic nematodes in tropical and developing countries
Diversity and succession of nematodes in (vermi-)compost processes, and the interaction of compost nematodes on soil food web processes
Biology, cryptic biodiversity, and evolution of facultatively parasitic nematodes (e.g. Halicephalobus spp.)
The origin and evolution of plant-parasitism
Spermatogenesis of nematodes
Ultrastructural morphology of Nematodes and other animals