Dr. Antoine Perrin

My Ph.D. aimed to understand the effects of landscape changes on host-pathogen interactions in natural populations. I am particularly interested in understanding how the loss and the fragmentation of natural habitats affect parasite and vector communities. Indeed, this knowledge is critical for both conserving wildlife and anticipating emergence of infectious diseases in human-modified landscapes. 

Many empirical studies revealed either positive, negative or even no effect of habitat loss and fragmentation on the prevalence of vector-borne diseases. However, the role played by the vector in these contrasting effects remains to be investigated. In this context, my post-doctoral project focuses on the response of mosquitoes to landscape changes, as they are the main vectors of human diseases at a global scale. The main objectives are to determine (i) whether the land-use changes in a local landscape around a locality affect the abundance and alpha diversity of mosquitoes and (ii) how the landscape connectivity could explain the beta diversity of mosquitoes among localities.