F. Zele

Wolbachia strengthens the match between pre-mating and early post-mating isolation in spider mites

This study shows Wolbachia enhances pre-mating isolation in spider mites by aligning it with post-mating isolation caused by the endosymbiont.

Competition for food affects the strength of reproductive interference and its consequences for species coexistence.

This study shows that food competition alters reproductive interference between spider mite species, affecting their competitive outcomes and coexistence.

Evolution in response to an abiotic stress shapes species coexistence

The paper shows that evolution in a stressful environment allows two spider mite species to coexist, but evolution of one species in isolation leads to exclusion.

Wolbachia and host intrinsic reproductive barriers contribute additively to post-mating isolation in spider mites

This study shows that Wolbachia-induced and host-associated incompatibilities act additively to reduce hybrid production in spider mites, with host factors having a greater impact.

Population-specific effect of Wolbachia on the cost of fungal infection in spider mites

The paper examines how Wolbachia affects spider mite survival when exposed to fungal pathogens, finding population-specific outcomes.

Creating outbred and inbred populations of haplodiploid mites to measure adaptive responses in the lab

The paper describes methods to create outbred and inbred haplodiploid spider mite populations for studying adaptive responses and heritability.

Inter- and intra-specific variation of spider mite susceptibility to fungal infections: implications for the long-term success of biological control

This study examines inter- and intraspecific variation in spider mite susceptibility to two entomopathogenic fungi across 12 populations, finding significant differences that challenge the use of single fungal strains for biocontrol.

Spider mites escape bacterial infection by avoiding contaminated food

This study shows spider mites avoid bacterial-contaminated food and are susceptible to bacterial infections via feeding and spraying, suggesting avoidance behaviors are key to reducing infection risk.

Environments with a high probability of incompatible crosses do not select for mate avoidance in spider mites

The paper investigates whether Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility selects for mate avoidance in spider mites, finding no evolution of mate choice despite genetic variation in mating duration.

Wolbachia both aids and hampers the performance of spider mites on different host plants

This study examines how Wolbachia infection affects spider mite performance on different host plants, finding both positive and negative impacts on life-history traits.