EXPLORECOLAB

Presentation of the ExplorEcoLab project

The ExplorEcoLab project is an experimental study on the effects of climate change on the relationship of butterflies – host plants – ants.

The objectives of this study are the following :

  • Recreate the relationship between the life cycles of butterflies, their host plants and ants in an enclosed environment,
  • Control climate and environmental to study the determinants factors of this relationship,
  • Apply different climate scenarios to study the possible future impacts of climate change on these species.

Choice of species

The studied species selected according to different criteria are the following:

  • butterfly Polyommatus icarus
Polyommatus icarus © F. Mallard
  • host plants of Polyommatus icarus : Trifolium repens, Lotus corniculatus
Lotus corniculatus © F. Mallard
Trifolium repens © F. Mallard
  • ants Lasius niger
Lasius niger © F. Mallard

Laboratory

In the laboratory, the lepidopteran-ant host symbiosis relationship is reproduced in a stable closed ecosystem called ExplorEcolab.

The laboratory of ExplorEcolab © F. Mallard

Experiments

Experiment 1 : Reproduce the lepidopteran-host plants-ants relationship in a closed environment – Development of host plants of Polyommatus icarus

Development of host plants of Polyommatus icarus © F. Mallard

Experiment 2 : Reproduce the lepidopteran-host plants-ants relationship in a closed environment – Ants breeding Lasius niger

The queen, eggs, cocoons, worker of Lasius niger © F. Mallard

Experiment 3 : Reproduce the lepidopteran-host plants-ants relationship in a closed environment – Butterflies breeding Polyommatus icarus

L’attribut alt de cette image est vide, son nom de fichier est 20210608_205113-1024x461.jpg.
Layers on leaf of Trifolium repens© F. Mallard
L’attribut alt de cette image est vide, son nom de fichier est 20210609_20_24_14-1024x1024.png.
Egg of Polyommatus icarus (microscope x1000) © F. Mallard
Caterpillar of Polyommatus icarus (microscope x40) © F. Mallard

Experiment 4 : Relationships between ants and butterflies

Experiment 5 : Different climate change scenarios are applied in the ExplorEcolab laboratory. Different parameters are measured and analyzed to better understand the climate-symbiosis relationship. (forthcoming)