From lab to nature: worms, beetles and a tropical island in the indian ocean

Many biological processes are studied in great detail in laboratory settings. However, their ecological relevance and significance is often hard to study because the way back from the lab to nature is difficult. My team and I study how nematodes compete for short-lived resources at scarab beetle carcasses. This work is carried out on small tropical island in the Indian Ocean with unique conditions. This work allows laboratory findings to be tested in “real life”, providing strong evidence for the importance of developmental plasticity and the organisms’ response to fluctuating environments.