PROFIL PRACOWNIKA: Richard Bailey

CAREER

I am an evolutionary ecologist focusing on terrestrial systems, primarily insects and also birds. I obtained my PhD in Zoology entitled “Coexistence in a mosaic overlap zone in Chorthippus grasshoppers” from University of Leeds, UK, in 2001, under the supervision of Professor Roger K. Butlin and Professor Chris D. Thomas. Since then, I have carried out a wide variety of research projects, residing in 6 different European countries and working for 9 different institutions, including a total of 5.5 years at the University of Edinburgh, and 3 years each at Uppsala University, Sweden and Oslo University, Norway. Since 2021 I have held an Adiunkt position at the University of Lodz.

RESEARCH INTERESTS AND STUDY SYSTEMS

My research is a mixture of empirical work mostly in natural populations around Europe, and advanced statistical analysis of ecological and genomic data. In the past I have studied hybrid zones and hybrid speciation in birds (Ficedula flycatchers and Passer sparrows), viral epidemiology in chickens and other livestock (principally Marek’s disease in chickens), insecticide resistance evolution management in Lepidoptera (the maize pest Ostrinia nubilalis) the structure of multi-taxon arthropod communities in oak trees (Quercus), and the structure of tri-trophic oak tree-oak gall wasp-Chalid wasp parasitoid food webs. I have also published an R statistical software package called ‘gghybrid’, which estimates hybridization rates and identifies genes under selection in hybrids. My current and developing research projects are focused on two main areas:

• The evolution and genomics of multi-trophic food webs centred on insect herbivores (Lepidoptera, and oak gall wasps in the family Cynipidae)
• Speciation, hybrid zones, and the influence of hybridization on adaptation to environmental change and species diversification (principally Lepidoptera)

Developing studies centred on Cynipid oak gall wasps are a collaboration with Professor Graham N. Stone, University of Edinburgh, UK, and involve using natural hybridization at multiple trophic levels to dissect the genomic contributions of trees, herbivores, and parasitoids to the structuring of natural communities.

For Lepidoptera, I am currently focusing on the widespread and common butterfly Pieris napi. This species is highly variable and adapted to a variety of habitats including forests, high altitudes, and Arctic latitudes. It forms a species complex with several closely related species each with their own niche specialisations, with which it hybridizes. I aim to use this system to understand the roles in environmental adaptation of evolutionary divergence and secondary contact and hybridization on multiple different timescales, including due to Pleistocene glacial cycles.

INVOLVEMENT IN MAJOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS

Project Psyche

Active team member of Project Psyche (www.projectpsyche.org), led by the Wellcome Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge, UK. A fully funded project with the objective of assembling reference genomes for all 11,000 European species of Lepidoptera.

I joined Psyche in January 2024, and I am sampling species for new reference genomes from Poland and elsewhere. I have sampled 25 species for new reference genomes so far. I have also sampled the butterfly Pieris rapae for an experiment led by Joana Meier (Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge) to test the viability of different tissue storage methods for reference genome assembly.

LepEU

LepEU (www.lepeu.github.io) is a natural extension of Project Psyche that commenced in 2024, aimed at Utilizing the already 1000+ available Lepidopteran reference genomes for Europe-wide population genomics across many species, for example to understand the roles of past and present climate and land use change on Lepidopteran evolutionary history and adaptation.

The project was initiated in 2024 by sampling 11 widespread butterfly species from around Europe for whole genome sequencing. I contributed the Polish samples.

COST Action “CA23122 - Utilizing 10,000 genomes of European Lepidoptera (10kLepGenomes)”

Commencing in October 2024 and running until October 2028, this COST Action is devoted to networking and development of funding applications focused on utilizing the Lepidopteran genome assemblies produced by Psyche (www.cost.eu/actions/CA23122).

I am Polish representative on the management committee for this COST Action.