Inhaltsverzeichnis ¶
Offene Masterarbeiten ¶
(Master thesis - 6 Monate)
Title: Changes of the composition of Phytophthora communities along an altitudinal gradient in the Alps
Supervisor: Simone Prospero (simone.prospero(at)wsl.ch)
Start: open
Language: German and English
Description of the project: The oomycete genus Phytophthora includes some of the most famous and severe pathogens in natural and semi-natural forest ecosystems. Phytophthora species are widespread, relatively abundant, very diverse, and poorly understood in many relatively undisturbed forest ecosystems. The aim of this study is to characterize Phytophthora communities along altitudinal gradients in the Swiss Alps. For this, samples will be taken in the soil and in rivers/streams to compare species distribution in the two substrates. At each sampling site, the local vegetation will also be assessed. In the laboratory, Phytophthora will be isolated from the collected samples and identified to species by Sanger sequencing of ITS. Phytophthora communities will then be characterized and compared among substrates and altitudes.
Title: Temporal dynamics of Armillaria populations in the Swiss Alps
Supervisor: Simone Prospero (simone.prospero(at)wsl.ch)
Start: open
Language: German and English
Description of the project: The basidiomycete genus Armillaria has a worldwide distribution and plays a central role in the dynamics of numerous woody ecosystems, including natural forests, tree plantations, orchards, vineyards, and gardens. All Armillaria species are capable of degrading dead woody substrates causing white rot and some species exhibit a parasitic ability and can be considered as facultative necrotrophs. In Switzerland, the preferentially saprotroph A. cepistipes is the most common species in coniferous stands where it frequently co-occurs with the pathogenic species A. ostoyae. Twenty years ago, we characterized the structure (number and distribution of genotypes) of three populations of both species in the southern Swiss Alps. This project aims at resampling the same three populations and assess eventual temporal changes in their composition. Activities include rhizomorph sampling in the field, Armillaria isolation, DNA extraction and microsatellite genotyping.
Offene Bachelorarbeiten ¶
(Bachelor thesis - 3 Monate)
Im Moment sind keine BA-Arbeiten offen.
Offene Semesterarbeiten ¶
(3-monatige Projektarbeit)
Title: Optimization of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and qPCR detection methods for the chestnut blight fungus Cryphonectria parasitica
Start: open
Supervisor: Lenin Riascos-Flores
Language: English
Description of the project:
The ascomycete Cryphonectria parasitica is an invasive fungal pathogen causing chestnut blight, a devastating disease of Castanea species in Europe and North America. Early detection of the pathogen is crucial for implementing control measures, particularly in areas where the disease is emerging or to monitor the spread of biological control agents (hypoviruses). While traditional isolation methods are time-consuming, molecular methods offer rapid diagnostics. However, detecting the pathogen in environmental samples (eDNA) remains challenging due to low inoculum density and PCR inhibitors. This project aims to evaluate and optimize different workflows for the monitoring of C. parasitica in the environment. The activities will be to assess the efficiency of different DNA extraction protocols from environmental samples and compare the sensitivity and specificity of these methos into a real-time PCR (qPCR) using a single and multiplex framework.
Title: Optimization of environmental DNA (eDNA) detection methods (qPCR, CRISPR) for the plane tree pathogen Ceratocystis platani
Start: open
Supervisor: Lenin Riascos-Flores
Language: English
Description of the project:
The fungal pathogen Ceratocystis platani causes canker stain, a lethal and devastating disease of plane trees (Platanus species) worldwide. Rapid diagnosis is essential to prevent the spread of the disease. While molecular methods offer fast results, detecting the pathogen in environmental samples is challenging due to low DNA concentrations and inhibitors. This project aims to evaluate and optimize detection workflows using environmental samples. The activities will involve testing different DNA extraction protocols and comparing the sensitivity and specificity of the standard Real-Time PCR (qPCR) and a novel CRISPR-based detection method.