Species richness and biological invasions of Chalcid
wasps in Akrotiri Peninsula
Project Title: DPLUS202: Species richness and biological invasions of Chalcid
wasps in Akrotiri Peninsula
Aim: Chalcid wasps are one of the most diverse insect groups, covering a variety of
trophic regimes, however, have been greatly understudied in Cyprus. Throughout
this fellowship native and non-native Chalcid wasp species will be studied at the
protected Akrotiri Peninsula. This study will increase our knowledge of their
biodiversity, biological invasions and their impacts through structured material
surveys. Citizen-science will be utilized wherever possible.
Goals:
1.Provide a baseline of Chalcid wasps in the Akrotiri Peninsula to enhance
scientific research around the region’s fauna. This will be achieved by
conducting structured monthly surveys across man-made and natural habitats
in Akrotiri Peninsula to assess the native and non-native Chalcid fauna along
with their impacts.
2.Raise public awareness, pool, supplement, and summarize our knowledge of
the Chalcid wasp fauna of Cyprus by creating an online information portal
about the “Chalcid wasps of Cyprus”.
3.Establish the basis of a long-term project regarding the whole Chalcid wasp
fauna of Cyprus. Additionally, non-native Chalcid species that will be
collected, will serve to future research regarding the introduction pathways of
alien species in Europe, with the integrated use of morphological and
molecular tools.
Duration: 1 st July 2023 – 30 th June 2025
Location: Cyprus, Western Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri
Funded by: Darwin Plus
Coordinating partner: Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre
Direct partners: Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre; Joint Services
Health Unit Akrotiri SBA; Department of Biology, Faculty of Zoology and Marine
Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece (NKUA);
Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza; University of Leeds.
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