Canadian Forest Service employee directory
Véronique Martel
Research Scientist Entomology
Laurentian Forestry Centre
1055 Du P.E.P.S. Street, P.O. Box 10380
Québec,
Quebec,
G1V 4C7
Tel.: (418) 640-2625
Profile
I am primarily interested in the ecology of insect parasitoids, using various approaches including behavioural ecology and ecophysiology. Parasitoids are a significant factor in insect populations found in all environments. Despite their small size, they use complex mechanisms to find and assess the quality of their hosts, and then introduce their offspring, killing the host in the process. A better understanding of their ecology is therefore beneficial in terms of helping to control forest pests.
I am currently starting my research on parasitoids of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana. Epidemics of this insect have significant ecological and economical consequences in Canada. The objective is to better understand the various aspects of the biology of these insects (the search for hosts, preferred hosts, development, interaction between different species, etc.) in order to understand their dynamics in both low-density and epidemic budworm populations. This research also focuses on understanding their role in epidemic cycles. Laboratory and field projects help to provide a deeper understanding of the system.
At the same time, I am also studying the egg parasitoids of the hemlock looper, in order to better understand the reproductive strategies of female parasitoids during host exploitation.
Education
- Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Animal Physiology, Université de Montréal (2001).,
- Masters and Ph.D. in Entomology, McGill University, under the supervision of Ph.D. Research Scientist Guy Boivin, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2003 and 2007)
- Postdoctoral training at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden (SLU, 2007-2009) and at l’Université de Rennes I, France (2009-2011).