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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Omani researcher gets masters degree in biodiversity from UK

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By Yahya Al Salmani — MUSCAT: Dec 18: Saleh Naghmush al Saadi, an Omani researcher, recently obtained his Master degree in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Leeds, Faculty of Biological Sciences in UK. The dissertation title is, ‘Impact of temperature variation on insect host-parasitoid interactions: focusing on generalist parasitoid Venturia canescens, original host Plodia interpunctella and novel host Ephestia kuehniella’. The research points out that the anthropogenic climate changes have a significant effect on insect diversity worldwide. Changes in temperature affects physiology, behaviour, life history traits and geographic ranges of insects and also influence metabolism, growth rates, and body size of individuals, as well as their population dynamics.


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The study asserts that our knowledge concerning the impact of climate change on interaction among parasitoids and their host species is limited. Understanding the consequence of climate change on parasitism is important for predicting pests’ dynamics.

The research examined the effect of three constant temperatures (22 degrees Celsius, 26 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius on the survival, development and body size of Plodia interpunctella and Ephestia kueniella and their shared parasitoid Venturia canescens.


The study concludes that increasing temperature has a significant effect on trophic interaction among insect hosts and their natural enemies. Climate change can determine population dynamics and community structure of both prey and predator by influencing their life history traits such as fecundity, fitness and physiological process.


Al Saadi, who has been working in the biodiversity sector at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs for more than 17 years, is currently preparing his PhD proposal for carrying out his forthcoming research in the same field.


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