Short project description

Are you interested in working with insects in the field during sunny weather? This master’s thesis offers a hands-on opportunity to study two key ecosystem services: natural pest control and pollination.

Many studies estimate pest control based on beneficial arthropod populations. However, predator density does not always reflect actual predation pressure. Factors such as predator satiation, intraguild predation, and competition can influence real predation rates. In addition, many predators are active at night, making direct observation in the field difficult.

To better measure predation activity, this project will use sentinel prey i.e. artificial caterpillars made of plasticine. Predation intensity will be assessed by examining bite marks left on these models. This method provides insight into which groups of arthropod predators are active in the field.

Pollination will be evaluated using sentinel plants, where fruit and seed set will be measured to assess pollinator activity. Field experiments will be conducted at the Flakkebjerg Research Centre during spring and summer 2026 and 2027 to evaluate how different cropping systems and weed management practices influence these key ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes.

Responsibilities

The master’s student will:

• Deploy and collect sentinel prey and sentinel plants in the field
• Examine sentinel prey under a microscope to assess predation marks
• Collect, manage, and analyse field data

The student will also have the opportunity to learn different arthropod sampling techniques and gain experience in using digital tools for arthropod monitoring.

You can contact us for further clarifications or additional information on this topic.

Is field work part of the topic (yes/no)?

Yes

Is lab work part of the topic (yes/no)?

Possible

Is coding part of the thesis topic (yes/no)?

Yes