Berber Meulepas

Under PhD-supervision of Thomas Merckx, Dirk Maes, Wilco Verberk and Hans Van Dyck, I am analysing how two stressors—nitrogen (N) enrichment and (micro)climatic change—are impacting four formerly common and widespread nettle-feeding butterfly species. I am doing so by analysing long-term monitoring data, linking field nettle N-content with environmental variables, performing field and lab experiments, and measuring proxies of larval and adult fitness. With this PhD research we try to gain insight into why these species, although belonging to the same feeding guild, are differently impacted by global change drivers.