Environmental physiology of social insects

Project description

The project focuses on the study of adaptations of social insects, mainly native species of stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini), to physiological and ecological challenges in tropical environments. The following topics are addressed: (1) Sensory ecology, investigating how ecological conditions shaped the visual, chemical and mechanical perception of different species of social insects throughout evolution (2) Cognition and memory, exploring the limits of cognition and memory of social insects in different environments. (3) Foraging strategies, studying the evolution of the wide range of different foraging mechanisms known in social insects. (4) Thermal ecology, investigating how different species of social insects deal with thermal stress in different tropical environments.