Dellicour

PhD student

phone: +32 (0)2 650 45 25

e-mail: sdellico@ulb.ac.be

Research interests

PhD project

Impact of floral specialization on the intra-specific diversity and dispersal capacity of several bee species. A phylogeographic approach

Supervisor : P. Mardulyn

Floral specialization is currently a new research topic for a collaboration between three Belgian universities: the University of Mons, the Free University of Brussels and the University of Gembloux. One part of this research project is to study the impact of this floral specialization on the intra-specific diversity, the capacity of dispersion and the evolution history of several bee species. Seven species have been retained as models for the study:

-Melitta leporina, Melitta nigricans and Melitta tricincta: three oligolectic sister species of solitary bees

-Bombus consobrinus and Bombus gerstaeckeri: two oligolectic species of bumblebees

-Bombus brodmannicus and Bombus pratorum: two sister species of bumblebees (respectively oligolectic and polylectic)

In our current study, a comparative phylogeographic approach has been selected to investigate the issue. First termed “phylogeography” by Avise (1989), the aim of this field between phylogenetics and population genetics is to study the geographical distribution of genetic lineages and this, especially at the intra-specific level. We use three distinct genetic markers : two nuclear loci and one mitochondrial locus. This project is based on a sampling of these model species on their entire geographic distribution which is West-Palearctic and even Paleartcic for 2 of these models. The phylogeographic analysis of the sister species model will also allow to perform a study of the different speciation process.

Modelling, software development

Dellicour S, Hardy OJ, Mardulyn P (2012) PHYLOGEOSIM 1.0. A simulator of DNA sequences evolution under a demographic and geographic model of coalescence.

http://ebe.ulb.ac.be/ebe/Software.html

Dellicour S., Mardulyn P., 2011. SPADS 1.0. A toolbox to perform population structure analyses and to compute summary statistics from DNA sequences.

http://ebe.ulb.ac.be/ebe/Software.html

Dellicour S, Lecocq T (2011) GCALIGNER 1.0: a fast program to compute preliminary data matrix ready to statistical analyses from large chemical datasets obtained by gas chromatography.

http://ebe.ulb.ac.be/ebe/Software.html

Dellicour S, Jannin A (2010) MILLS 1.0. A program to analyze data obtained by the LUBIES (ULB, Belgium) insects flight mills.

http://lubies.ulb.ac.be/Databases.html

Master thesis project

Genetic analysis of red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations in Armoric

Supervisors : M.-C. Flamand & F. Chaumont (UCL)

The context of red deer in Armoric is a typical case where the situation of the population is completely drawn and dependent on human activities. This species was not at all naturally widespread in these little forests but was partially and artificially introduced several decades ago. Since these introductions, hunting schedules regulates the population. Despite this regulation, a lot of recent new artificial barriers are installed all around the forests in order to cancel the pressure of this species on the cultures surrounding these forests. In summary, all the current ecological situation of those specimens is closely linked to human activities. The aim of this master thesis project was to explore and study the diversity and the structure of this population in this highly dependent human context. Investigating the potential impact of fragmentation on the population (aspects of diversity and risks of consanguinity effects) becomes more and more important in the context of the future total isolation with artificial barriers. Another objective was to give new tools to better understand and manage red deer in this area. This new genetic database and the different assignment methods tested are now able to investigate the origin of a given individual.

Publications

Dellicour S, Frantz A, Colyn M, Bertouille S, Chaumont F, Flamand M-C (2010) Population structure and genetic diversity of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in forest fragments in north-western France. Conservation Genetics 12, 1287-1297.

Lecocq T, Lhomme P, Michez D, Dellicour S, Valterovác I, Rasmont P (2011) Molecular and chemical characters to evaluate species status of two cuckoo bumblebees: Bombus barbutellus and Bombus maxillosus (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombini). Systematic Entomology 36, 453-469.

Oral communications

Dellicour S, Hardy O, Vereecken NJ, Mardulyn P (2012) Comparing historical hypotheses using DNA sequence variation in a geographic model of coalescence.
Evolution congress 2012 (Ottawa, Canada).

Dellicour S, Hardy O, Vereecken NJ, Mardulyn P (2012) Study of a range expansion using a geographical model of coalescence.
18th EMPSEB (Virrat, Finland).

Dellicour S, Hardy O, Vereecken NJ, Mardulyn P (2012) Comparing historical hypotheses using DNA sequence variation in a geographic model of coalescence.
19th Benelux Congress of Zoology (Bruxelles, Belgique).

Educational background

09/2009- today University of Brussels (ULB) - Brussels

•PhD in biology in the fields of phylogeography and population genetics. Title: “Impact of floral specialization on the intra-specific diversity and dispersal capacity of several bee species”. Grant : FRIA (FNRS).

09/2008-2009 University of Louvain (UCL) - Louvain-la-neuve

•Master thesis in the fields of population genetics and conservation. Title: “Genetic analysis of red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations in Armoric”, high honours.
•Quetelet Price given by the Quetelet Society to a master thesis in biostatistics/biometry
•Shortlisted for the Jacques Kets Awards given by the Royal Belgian Zoological Society

09/2004-2009 University of Louvain (UCL) - Louvain-la-neuve

•Master degree in bio-engineering : chemistry and bio-industries, specialization : molecular biology. High honours for the master degree

01-06/2008 University of Manchester - Manchester

•Erasmus exchange program in the Life of Science faculty of the University of Manchester

07/2004 University of Brussels (ULB) - Brussels

•Examination for admittance to polytechnics faculties in the French Community of Belgium : certificate passed

Simon Dellicour