Canadian Forest Service employee directory
Véronique Martel
Research Scientist Entomology
Laurentian Forestry Centre
1055 Du P.E.P.S. Street, P.O. Box 10380
Québec,
Quebec,
G1V 4C7
Tel.: (418) 640-2625
Profile
I am interested in the ecology of insect pests (native and exotic) and their parasitoids, using different approaches such as behavioral ecology or physiological ecology. Parasitoids are an important factor in insect populations in all environments. Despite their small size, they use complex mechanisms to locate their hosts, assess their quality and then invest their offspring in these hosts, causing their death.
I work on various native forest insects, such as the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, whose outbreaks have considerable ecological and economic consequences in Canada. The aim is to better understand the various aspects of the biology of these natural enemies, in order to understand their dynamics in spruce budworm populations, both at low densities and during epidemics. I'm also working on methods for controlling budworms, such as the recent early intervention strategy, or biological control using egg parasitoids.
I'm also interested in exotic insects, such as the Elm zigzag sawfly, Aproceros leucopoda, discovered in North America in 2020, and the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, which is causing significant ash mortality in North America.
Finally, I'm also working on the bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius. Although of the same genus as the emerald ash borer, the bronze birch borer, being native to North America, mainly attacks already stressed birch trees and is not a major problem. However, its introduction into Europe could be problematic, and it is therefore important to be able to detect it and develop phytosanitary methods to ensure that wood exported to Europe is free from it.
Education
- Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Animal Physiology, Université de Montréal (2001).
- M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Entomology, McGill University, under the supervision of Ph.D. Research Scientist Guy Boivin, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2003 and 2007)
- Postdoctoral training at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden (SLU, 2007-2009) and at Université de Rennes I, France (2009-2011).