The URBE research unit studies environmental and evolutionary biology through three main areas of research: freshwater ecology, evolutionary genetics and ecology, and environmental physiology and toxicology. The unit has 33 staff members including 17 PhD students and 7 senior researchers. Research is conducted at different organizational levels from genes to entire ecosystems. Projects include studies of aquatic ecosystems, population genetics of invasive species, and the physiological responses of organisms to pollutants and environmental stressors.

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University of Namur
FUNDP
Research Unit in
Environmental and Evolutionary
Biology
Faculty of Sciences – Department of Biology
Address : Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000 Namur, Belgium
http://www.urbe-fundp.be/
URBE

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Research at a glance in URBE
URBM URBC
URBV Research Unit in
Environmental and
Evolutionary Biology
Freshwater ecology Evolutionary Genetics & Environmental physiology &
Ecology toxicology
v Chemical and biological v Evolution of reproductive v Molecular and physiological
indicators of ecological quality modes responses to pollutants
v Structure and functions of v Population genetics v Acclimation/adaptation to
aquatic ecosystems in environmental stress
v Evolutionary genomics
temperate and tropical areas
v Interactions between reproductive
v Ecology & evolution of
v Ecological management of and immune systems
parasitism
water bodies
v Biomarkers of pollutant exposure
v Invasive species

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Research staff in URBE (33)
PhD students (17) Senior researchers (7)
Ø Agbohessi Prudencio, CUD Ø Lliros Marc, FUNDP/CERUNA
Ø Depiereux Sophie, FNRS Ø Mandiki Robert, BSPO & CUD
Ø Dorts Jennifer, FNRS Ø Viroux Laurent, RW
Ø Douxfils Jessica, FNRS Ø Gillardin Virginie, RW
Ø Etoundi Emilie, FNRS Ø Flot Jean-Francois, FNRS
Ø Hang Bui Thi, CUD Ø Blanchard Gersande, GIREA
Ø Hespeels Boris, assistant FUNDP Ø Verniers Gisèle, GIREA
Ø Falisse Elodie, assistante FUNDP
Ø Latli Adrien, assistant FUNDP
Ø Li Xiang, FRIA
Technical support (5)
Ø Marescaux Jonathan, FNRS Ø Evrard André, RW
Ø Massart Sophie, FRIA Ø Forget Marie-Claire, FUNDP
Ø Mathieu Cédric, FRIA Ø Léonard Amélie, FUNDP
Ø Osombause Joel, CTB Ø Leporq Bruno, RW
Ø Piérrard Marie-Aline, FRIA Ø Mine Yves, FUNDP
Ø Pigneur Lise-Marie, FUNDP
Ø Roland Kathleen, FRIA
Academic staff (4)
Prof. Jean-Pierre Descy, Prof. Patrick Kestemont, Prof. Karine Van Doninck,
Ass. Prof. Frédéric Silvestre

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Research at different organization levels
From the gene to the field
Studies at molecular and cellular levels
Precision - Reproducibility
Studies at population/community levels
Complexity - Representativity

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Prof. J.P. Descy
Structure, functioning and
quality of freshwater ecosystems

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Design of a decision tool for hydromorphological
restoration of water bodies in Walloon Region
In this pilot project we develop a structured approach aiming at improving
hydromorphological quality of the upstream Meuse basin (the River Meuse
upstream of Andenne) in order to reach the good ecological status
required by the DCE.
Specific objectives :
• Development of a methodology for assessing the river
hydromorphological quality restoration projects
• Realisation of restoration works on a significant scale on some risk
water bodies in the studied basin based on two axes: longitudinal
continuity and transverse continuity
• Monitoring of the restored river system and its ecological status
evolution

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African Great Lakes : Kivu
• Study of bacterial and plankton communities and trophic relationships
• Carbon and nutrients cycles (collaboration EAWAG, Switzerland) : relationships
with biomethane production in deep waters
• Understanding the functioning of Kivu ecosystem for its sustainable
development
Does the introduction of Limnothrissa induce profound changes in Kivu
biogeochemical cycles ?

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Prof. K. Van Doninck
Laboratory of Evolutionary
Genetics and Ecology
http://perso.fundp.ac.be/~kvandoni/

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Evolution of reproductive modes:
the asexual paradox of bdelloids
( all-female asexuality )
Evolutionary genetics of the bdelloid rotifers
By which mechanisms can the asexual bdelloid
rotifers create genetic diversity among populations?
We have projects studying the population genetics
and the phenomenon of desiccation of the ancient
asexual bdelloid rotifers.
Comparative evolutionary genomics
Sequencing the genome de novo of the bdelloid rotifer species
Adineta vaga: investigating the genomic organisation of this
degenerate tetraploid species (in collaboration with Genoscope)

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Evolution of reproductive modes:
the asexual paradox of invasive
Corbicula clams ( all-male asexuality )
Evolutionary genetics of androgenesis
By which mechanisms can androgenetic
Corbicula clams create genetic diversity and
be so invasive and widespread?
We have projects studying the population
genetics and phylogeography of these
Asian clams and the phenomenon of
androgenesis.
Komaru et al. 1998

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Aquatic invasive mollusks in Western
European rivers (collaboration between Prof. Descy and
Prof. Van Doninck)
Asian clam Quagga mussel
Corbicula spp. Dresseina bugensis
• Species identification in European rivers
• Population genetics and phylogeography to determine their
colonisation route
• Assessing their impact on ecosystems and on biodiversity

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Prof. P. Kestemont
Ass. Prof. F. Silvestre
Environmental Physiology &
Toxicology
Ecophysiology – Ecotoxicology (PK)
Systems Ecotoxicology (FS)

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Main research topics in environmental
physiology & toxicology
v Molecular and physiological responses of aquatic
organisms (fish, shellfish, amphibians) to pollutants
v Acclimation/adaptation to single and multiple stressors ,
including epigenetic mechanisms ; transgenerational
inheritance of acquired phenotypes
v Mechanisms of endocrine disruption and intersexuality
in fishes
v Search for biomarkers using in vitro/in vivo/in situ
approaches in fish toxicology
v Stress physiology and immune response in fish in
aquaculture

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EDCs and intersexuality in fishes
Environmental occurrence and in vitro approach of cellular
and molecular mechanisms
Effluents
STP
EDCs
in vivo contamination in vitro contamination Validation in rivers with
Effluent fragmentation sentinel species
EE2 Effluent -EE2
-Estrone
-Nonylphenol
-Estradiol
Transcriptomic signature Testis culture

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Molecular responses of PBMC to chemicals
PBMC proteome response of Asian catfish and European eel exposed
to xenobiotics : in vitro approaches
pH
4
7
MW
Proteomic analysis after cell exposure
Isolation of PBMC
Biomarkers
Mechanisms of action

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Interactions between temperature and
pollutants sensitivity
Does heat acclimation modulate sensitivity of bullhead to pollutants?
Oxidative stress 20S-proteasome Metabolic enzymes Proteome
enzymes activity (CS & LDH) response

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Domestication and stress physiology in
aquaculture • Similar genetic diversity in river, lake
and F1 populations
• Reduction in number of alleles and
heterozygosis in F5 population
Microsatellite analysis
F0
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
Wild fish Captive fish
Confinement
Types of stress applied : Water emersion
Hypoxia
Endocrinological, immunological and proteomic endpoints

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More info
http://www.urbe-fundp.be/
Facebook group : www.facebook.com/pages/URBE/144441178954491