1. Why I Studied Entomology?
The science of entomology makes contributions to a variety of disciplines; from epidemiology, to
agriculture, to biodiversity science, to forensics just to name a few. Farmers need entomologists to
sustain optimal crops and production. Pharmaceutical researchers need entomologists to develop new
medicines and contain epidemic disease. Industries need entomologists to develop new biological and
chemical pest control. All those disciplines and many others open a world of possibilities for careers
and research focuses. Some insects are harmful, some are beneficial and some are just beautiful and
curious. Insects are encountered in almost every habitats and ecosystems everywhere in the world.
They are the most abundant multicellular organisms on earth with more than 900,000 species known.
There are still so many species awaiting discovery and description, which makes it a challenging and
exciting science.
When I started my Master’s, I was particularly interested in wetland ecology. The insect communities
within endangered wetland habitats have been poorly documented. Insects have a significant impact
on ecosystem processes, because they occupy an array of niches and play many different functional
roles. With their high variety of feeding habits, high reproductive capacity, and short generation time
they are resilient to environmental changes. Wetland insect inhabitants are adapted to specific
conditions, can be obligatory associates or characteristic of a particular wetland type. Thus, it is critical
to understand the community structure of insects if we are to understand the biodiversity and
functioning of wetlands. I study Diptera particularly because they are a model taxon for studying
taxonomic and phylogenetic community composition in wetlands. Diptera are abundant, ecologically
diverse in trophic habits and species-rich in wetlands. They are associated with a variety of wetland
habitats that can be terrestrial, semi-aquatic or aquatic: mud shores, vascular plants, decaying organic
matter, emergent vegetation, macrophytes, algal mats.