Temperature-dependent toxic effects of soot in the physiology of birds and insects

This is an interdisciplinary effort to elucidate the toxicity of soot (a type of aerosol) on lung capacity, oxidative stress, metabolism and gene expression in two very different model systems – birds and insects. Specifically, the bird species are great tits (Parus major), house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), while I focus on buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) as a model species for insects. I am using both field studies and experimental approaches, which means that I will have the opportunity to complement my observations of the natural environment with more controlled experiments in the lab.