Rumsais BLATRIX

Chargé de recherche au CNRS   Mon activité de recherche porte sur les aspects écologiques et évolutifs des interactions entre espèces. Les deux thèmes principaux que j'étudie sont les interactions entre plantes et insectes (pollinisation, symbioses), et les interactions entre ingénieurs d'écosystèmes dans la structuration du paysage.   My research activity is focused on the ecological and evolutionary aspects of inter-specific interactions. My two main study topics are plant-insect interactions (pollination, symbiosis), and the role of interactions among ecosystem engineers in landscape patterns.   Courriel : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Publications

Activités de recherche

Axe 1 : Ecologie et évolution des interactions plantes-insectes

La diversité et le succès écologique des plantes à fleurs sont intimement liés à leur propension à la pollinisation spécialisée. La plupart des études sur la pollinisation par les insectes se sont concentrées sur les abeilles et les papillons. Cependant, les mouches jouent également des rôles fondamentaux et sont fréquemment impliquées dans des systèmes de pollinisation spécialisés. Ce projet vise à contribuer à la compréhension de l'évolution des angiospermes en étudiant les facteurs proximaux et ultimes de la spécialisation de la pollinisation par les mouches. Je m'intéresse en particulier aux systèmes de pollinisation par tromperie, c'est-à-dire dans lesquels la fleur imite une ressource pour attirer des insectes particuliers, mais ne fournit pas cette ressource. Comme principaux modèles j'utilise les genres Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) et Ceropegia (Apocynaceae). Bien que non apparentés, ces deux genres présentent de grandes similitudes de syndrome de pollinisation. Tous deux possèdent des fleurs en forme de piège qui détiennent les pollinisateurs prisonniers le temps de les charger de pollen. A partir de ces modèles d'étude j'aborde plusieurs sujets relatifs à l'écologie et à l'évolution des interactions plantes-pollinisateurs :

- Description des stratégies de pollinisation, à travers l'identification des cortèges de pollinisateurs (en particulier, Ceratopogonidae, Chloropidae, Millichiidae, Cecidomyiidae) et des signaux émis par la fleur afin de les attirer.

- Conséquences des caractéristiques florales et environnementales (mode de présentation du pollen, limitation pollinique, risque d'interférence reproductive, etc.) sur l'évolution du niveau de spécificité des pollinisateurs entre espèces de plantes.

Ces travaux sont conduits en collaboration avec le département de botanique de l'université de Chulalongkorn, Thaïlande.

Axe 2 : Organisation spatiale des paysages à motifs répétés

Certaines savanes tropicales sont constellées de buttes en terre (1-20 m de diamètre) régulièrement espacées. Dans la majorité des cas, ces buttes sont soit construites par des invertébrés du sol ("savanes à termites" par exemple), soit construites par l'homme pour permettre l'agriculture sur sols pauvres et régulièrement inondés (champs surélevés). Dans ces mêmes savanes saisonnièrement inondées se trouvent des barrages à poissons en terre. Les champs surélevés et les barrages à poissons en terre sont utilisés actuellement en Afrique, et présents sous forme de vestiges archéologiques pré-colombiens en Amérique du Sud. A partir de ces modèles d'étude j'aborde plusieurs sujets relatifs à l'organisation spatiale des paysages:

- Origine de la régularité spatiale des motifs répétés du paysage.

- Interactions entre les activités de l'Homme, les activités des invertébrés du sol, et leur milieu.

- Rôle des invertébrés du sol dans la conservation des vestiges archéologiques en terre.

Projets secondaires

- Taxonomie, biodiversité et écologie des fourmis du paléarctique occidental.

- Mécanismes des invasions biologiques (fourmis).

English version:

Axis 1: Ecology and evolution of plant-insect interactions

The diversity and ecological success of flowering plants are closely linked to their propensity for specialized pollination. Most studies of insect pollination have focused on bees and butterflies. However, flies also play fundamental roles and are frequently involved in specialized pollination systems. This project aims to contribute to the understanding of the evolution of angiosperms by studying the proximal and ultimate factors of fly pollination specialization. I am particularly interested in deceptive pollination systems, i.e. in which the flower imitates a resource to attract particular insects, but does not provide this resource. As main models I use the genera Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) and Ceropegia (Apocynaceae). Although unrelated, these two genera share the same pollination syndrome. Both have trap-shaped flowers that hold pollinators prisoner while loading them with pollen. Using these study models, I address several topics relating to the ecology and evolution of plant-pollinator interactions:

- Description of pollination strategies, through the identification of communities of pollinators (in particular, Ceratopogonidae, Chloropidae, Millichiidae, Cecidomyiidae) and signals emitted by the flower in order to attract them.

- Consequences of floral and environmental characteristics (mode of pollen presentation, pollen limitation, risk of reproductive interference, etc.) on the evolution of the level of specificity of pollinators between plant species.

This work is carried out in collaboration with the botany department of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

Axis 2: Spatial organization of landscapes with repeated patterns.

Some tropical savannahs are dotted with regularly spaced earth mounds (1-20 m in diameter). In most cases, these mounds are either built by soil invertebrates (e.g. termite savannahs), or built by humans to grow crops on poor and regularly flooded soils (raised fields). Earthen fish weirs also occur in these seasonally flooded savannahs. Earthen fish weirs and raised fields are in use today in Africa, and occur in South America as pre-Columbian archaeological vestiges. I use these study models to address various topics related to landscape spatial organization:

- Origin of spatial regularity in repeated patterns of the landscape.

- Interactions between human activities, soil invertebrates activities, and their environment.

- Role of soil invertebrates in the conservation of earthen archaeological vestiges.

Side projects

- Taxonomy, biodiversity and ecology of Western Palearctic ants.

- Mechanisms of biological invasions (ants).

Publications

Blatrix R., Kidyoo A., Matrougui I., Samsungnoen P., McKey D., Proffit M., 2024. Mechanical stimulation of the stigmas triggers switch from female to male phase in the protogynous trap flower of Aristolochia rotunda (Aristolochiaceae). Mediterranean Botany, 45, e85906. https://doi.org/10.5209/mbot.85906

Kidyoo A., Kidyoo M., McKey D., Blatrix R., 2024. Molecular phylogeny of Vincetoxicum (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) from Thailand and integrative taxonomy corroborating a new cryptic species within Vincetoxicum kerrii. Journal of Plant Research, 137, 21-35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-023-01501-4

Kidyoo A., Kidyoo M., Ekkaphan P., Blatrix R., McKey D, Proffit M., 2024. Specialized pollination by cecidomyiid flies and associated floral traits in Vincetoxicum sangyojarniae (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae). Plant Biology, 26, 166-180. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13607

Mayer V., Voglmayr H., Blatrix R., Orivel, J., Leroy C., 2023. Fungi as mutualistic partners in ant-plant interactions. Frontiers in Fungal Biology, 4, 1213997. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffunb.2023.1213997

Schifani E., Alicata A., Menchetti M., Borowiec L., Fisher B.L., Karaman C., Kiran K., Oueslati W., Salata S., Blatrix R., 2022. Revisiting the morphological species groups of West-Palearctic Aphaenogaster ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) under a phylogenetic perspective: toward an evolutionary classification. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny, 80, 627–648. https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.80.e84428

Dupray S., Blatrix R., Roy L., Soulié A.-S., Dadu L., Degueldre D., Sleeckx N., Bicout D. J., Roy L., 2022. Population dynamics of a poultry hematophagous mite: characterization of the population growth and identification of factors of its slowdown using closed mesocosms. Pest Management Science, 78, 4151-4165. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7033

Kidyoo A., Kidyoo M., McKey D., Proffit M., Deconninck G., Wattana P., Uamjan N., Ekkaphan P., Blatrix, R., 2022. Pollinator and floral odor specificity among four synchronopatric species of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) suggests ethological isolation that prevents reproductive interference. Scientific Reports, 12, 13788. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18031-z

Kass J. M., Guénard B., Dudley K.L., Jenkins C.N., Azuma F., Fisher B.L., Parr C.L., Gibb H., Longino J.T., Ward P.S., Chao A., Lubertazzi D., Weiser M., Jetz W., Guralnick R., Blatrix R., Des Lauriers J., Donoso D.A., Georgiadis C., Gomez K., Hawkes P.G., Johnson R.A., Lattke J.E., MacGown J.A., Mackay W., Robson S., Sanders N.J., Dunn R.R., Economo E.P., 2022. The global distribution of known and undiscovered ant biodiversity. Science Advances, 8, eabp9908. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abp9908

McKey D., Rodrigues L., Ruiz-Pérez J., Blatrix R., Rostain S., 2022. Thinking outside the continent and outside the box: Cross-continental comparative studies can enrich studies of pre-columbian raised-field agriculture. Journal of Ethnobiology, 42, 152-179. https://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-42.2.152

Blatrix R., Aramayo J.L., Zangerlé A., Roux B., Jouanne M., Anselme B., de Boisvilliers M., Krasnopolski C., Assenbaum M., McKey D., 2022. Interpreting landscapes of pre-Columbian raised-field agriculture using high-resolution LiDAR topography. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 42, 103408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103408

Centanni J., Kaufmann B., Blatrix R., Blight O., Dumet A., Jay-Robert P., Vergnes A., 2022. High resolution mapping in Southern France reveals that distributions of supercolonial and monodomous species in the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are related to sensitivity to urbanization. Myrmecological News, 32, 41-50. https://doi.org/10.25849/myrmecol.news_032:041

Aubert C., Le Moguédec G., Assio C., Blatrix R., N’dédé Ahizi M., Codjo Hedegbetan G., Gnanki Kpera N., Lapeyre V., Martin D., Labbé P., Shirley M.H., 2022. Evaluation of the use of drones to monitor a diverse crocodylian assemblage in West Africa. Wildlife Research, 49, 11-23. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR20170

Zriki G., Blatrix R., Bicout D. J., Gimenez O., Soulié A.-S., Dadu L., Degueldre D., Chiron G., Sleeckx N., Roy L., 2021. Population-level impact of native arthropod predators on the Poultry Red Mite Dermanyssus gallinae. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology, 335, 552-563. https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2496

Blatrix R., Kidyoo A., Kidyoo M., Piapukiew J., Satjarak A., Paliyavuth C., Boonchai W., McKey D., 2021. The symbiosis between Philidris ants and the ant-plant Dischidia major includes fungal and algal associates. Symbiosis, 83, 305-315. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-021-00751-x

Zriki G., Blatrix R., Dadu L., Soulié A.-S., Dijoux J., Degueldre D., Sleeckx N., Roy L., 2021. No deleterious effect of inundative releases of biological agents on native arthropod assemblages in poultry farms: a mesocosm experiment. Biological Control, 156, 104560. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104560

Kidyoo A., Kidyoo M., Blatrix R., Deconninck G., McKey D., Ekkaphan P., Proffit M., 2021. Molecular phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic reconsideration of Ceropegia hirsuta (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) reveals a novelty in Thailand, Ceropegia citrina sp. nov., with notes on its pollination ecology. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 307, 14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-020-01723-2

Kokolo B., Attéké C., Ibrahim B., M'Batchi B., Blatrix R., 2020. Phenotypic plasticity in size of ant–domatia. Scientific Reports, 10, 20948.

Blatrix R., Aubert C., Decaëns T., Berquier C., Andrei-Ruiz M.-C., Galkowski C., 2020. Contribution of a DNA barcode for assessing the specificity of ant taxa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Corsica. European Journal of Entomology, 117, 402-429.

Roy L., Taudière A., Papaïx J., Blatrix R., Chiron G., Zriki G., Bonato O., Barnagaud J.Y., 2020. Evaluating the link between predation and pest control services in the mite world. Ecology and Evolution, 10, 9968-9980.

Zriki G., Blatrix R., Roy L., 2020. Predation interactions among henhouse-dwelling arthropods, with a focus on the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae. Pest Management Science, 76, 3711-3719.

Galkowski C., Aubert C., Blatrix R., 2019. Aphaenogaster ichnusa Santschi, 1925, bona species, and redescription of Aphaenogaster subterranea (Latreille, 1798) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Sociobiology, 66, 420-425.

Kokolo B., Atteke C., Eyi Mintsa B. A., Ibrahim B., McKey D., Blatrix R., 2019. Congeneric mutualist ant symbionts (Tetraponera, Pseudomyrmecinae) differ in level of protection of their myrmecophyte hosts (Barteria, Passifloraceae). Journal of Tropical Ecology, 35, 255-259.

Moreno L. F., Mayer V., Voglmayr H., Blatrix R., Stielow J. B., Teixeira M. M., Vicente V. A., de Hoog S., 2019. Genomic analysis of ant domatia-associated melanized fungi (Chaetothyriales, Ascomycota). Mycological progress, 18, 541-552.

Blatrix R., Colindre L., Wegnez P., Galkowski C., Colin T. (2018). Atlas des fourmis de Corse. Office de l'Environnement de la Corse. Corte. 148 pp.

Blatrix R., Colin T., Wegnez P., Galkowski C., Geniez P. (2018). Introduced ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of mainland France and Belgium, with a focus on greenhouses. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 54, 293-308.

Blatrix R., Roux B., Béarez P., Prestes-Carneiro G., Amaya M., Aramayo J.L., Rodrigues L., Lombardo U., Iriarte J., de Souza J.G., Robinson M., Bernard C., Pouilly M., Durécu M., Huchzermeyer C., Kalebe M., Ovando A., McKey D. (2018). The unique functioning of a pre-Columbian Amazonian floodplain fishery. Scientific Reports, 8, 5998.

Blatrix R., Galkowski C. (2018). Une nouvelle station, alpine, pour Formica suecica Adlerz, 1902, (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bulletin de la Société linnéenne de Bordeaux, 153 NS46, 71-74.

Sakolrak B., Blatrix R., Sangwanit U., Kobmoo N. (2018). Experimental infection of the ant Polyrhachis furcata with Ophiocordyceps reveals specificity of behavioural manipulation. Fungal Ecology, 33, 122-124.

Mayer V., Nepel M., Blatrix R., Oberhauser F., Fiedler K., Schönenberger J., Voglmayr H. ( 2018). Transmission of fungal partners to incipient Cecropia-tree ant colonies. Plos One, 13, e0192207.

Sakolrak B., Blatrix R., Sangwanit U., Arnamnart N., Noisripoom W., Thanakitpipattana D., Buatois B., Hossaert-McKey M., Kobmoo N. (2018). Ant-produced chemicals are not responsible for the specificity of their Ophiocordyceps fungal pathogens. Fungal Ecology, 32, 80-86.

Blatrix R., Peccoud J., Born C., Piatscheck F., Benoit L., Sauve M., Djiéto-Lordon C., Atteke C., Wieringa J. J., Harris D. J., McKey D. (2017). Comparative analysis of spatial genetic structure in an ant-plant symbiosis reveals a tension zone and highlights speciation processes in tropical Africa. Journal of Biogeography, 44, 1856-1868.

Blatrix R., Wegnez P., Colin T., Galkowski C. (2017). Neuf nouvelles espèces de fourmis pour la Corse. Revue de l'Association Roussillonnaise d'Entomologie, 26, 60-64.

Diamé L., Taylor B., Blatrix R., Vayssières J.-F., Rey J.-Y., Grechi I., Diarra K. (2017). A preliminary checklist of the ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) fauna of Senegal. Journal of Insect Biodiversity, 5, 1-16.

Galkowski C., Lebas C., Wegnez P., Lenoir A., Blatrix R. (2017). Re-description of Proformica nasuta (Nylander, 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using an integrative approach. European Journal of Taxonomy, 290, 1-40.

McKey D., Blatrix R. (2017). Ecological and evolutionary responses of protective ant-plant mutualisms to environmental changes. Pp. 223-246. In: Oliveira P. and Koptur S. eds. Ant-Plant Interactions: Impacts of humans on terrestrial ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Vasse M., Voglmayr H., Mayer V., Gueidan C., Nepel M., Moreno L., de Hoog S., Selosse M.-A., McKey D., Blatrix R. (2017). A phylogenetic perspective on the association between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and black yeasts (Ascomycota: Chaetothyriales). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284, 20162519.

Blatrix R ., Lebas L., Galkowski C., Wegnez P., Pimenta R., Morichon D. (2016). Vegetation cover and elevation drive diversity and composition of ant (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) communities in a montane Mediterranean ecosystem. Myrmecological News, 22, 119-127.

Kokolo B., Atteke C., Ibrahim B., Blatrix R. (2016). Pattern of specificity in the tripartite symbiosis between Barteria plants, ants and Chaetothyriales fungi. Symbiosis, 69, 169-174.

Lebas C., Galkowski C., Blatrix R., Wegnez P. (2016). Fourmis d'Europe occidentale. Delachaux et Niestlé, 415 pp.

Nepel M., Voglmayr H., Blatrix R., Longino J. T., Fiedler K., Schönenberger J., Mayer V. E. (2016). Ant-cultivated Chaetothyriales in hollow stems of myrmecophytic Cecropia sp. trees - diversity and patterns. Fungal Ecology, 23, 131-140.

Blatrix R., Geniez P. (2015). Les fourmis de nos serres. Sauvages et Cultivées, 7, 26-27- Outreach publications.

Diamé L., Blatrix R., Grechi I., Rey J. Y., Sane C. A. B., Vayssières J. F., De Bon H., Diarra K. (2015). Relations between the design and management of Senegalese orchards and ant diversity and community composition. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 212, 94-105.

Hanshew A. S., McDonald B. R., Diaz Diaz C., Djiéto-Lordon, C., Blatrix R., Currie C. R. (2015). Characterization of actinobacteria associated with three ant–plant mutualisms. Microbial Ecology, 69, 192-203.

Lebas C., Galkowski C., Wegnez P., Espadaler X., Blatrix R. (2015). The exceptional diversity of ants on mount Coronat (Pyrénées-Orientales), and Temnothorax gredosi (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) new to France. Revue de l'Association Roussillonnaise d'Entomologie, 24, 24-33.

Mayer V., Frederickson M., McKey D., Blatrix R. (2014). Current issues in the evolutionary ecology of ant-plant symbioses. New Phytologist, 202, 749-764.

• Champignons
• Plantes
• Animaux
• Biologie évolutive
• Ecologie des interactions
• Ecologie des paysages
• Biogéographie, macro écologie et phylogéographie
• Etudes de terrains
• Etudes expérimentales
• Terrestre sol
• Terrestre aérien
• Milieux herbacés
• Milieux boisés
• Tropical
• Arthropodes
• Evolutionary biology
• Interactions ecology
• Landscape ecology
• Field studies
• Experimental studies
• Soil
• Grasslands
• Woodlands
• Tropical (EN)
• Arthropods
• Fungi
• Plants
• Animals