Chiara De Pasqual

I am an evolutionary biologist with a broad interest in ecology, intra- and inter-specific interactions, host-pathogen-environment interactions, behaviour and chemical ecology. 

Ever since my master’s thesis, I have been interested in exploring how interactions among individuals and their environment affect ecological processes and maintain phenotypic and genotypic diversity in natural populations. During my PhD at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland), I explored how sexual selection and chemical communication (sex pheromones) contribute to maintaining genetic and phenotypic diversity, by using the colourful wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) as model species. I defended my thesis in December 2022. My PhD thesis was awarded as “Best PhD thesis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in Finland” for the academic year 2022-2023 by the Board of Oikos Finland.

After my PhD, I shifted my research focus from basic to applied science, joining SLU (Alnarp) in April 2023. Here, I’m exploring how environmental factors can shape, and potentially limit, the evolutionary potential of plant pathogens, with the ultimate goal of reducing reliance on agrochemicals.

My current work focuses on understanding the ecology and evolution of the pathogenic fungus Alternaria solani, a major threat to potato and other solanaceous crops. I study its life cycle both within and between epidemic phases, combining field ecology, molecular tools, and environmental data.

Main projects:

• Landscape epidemiology: Correlating landscape features to disease severity and pathogen dispersal patterns.
• Environmental constraints: Investigating how soil characteristics affect the long-term survival of A. solani.
• Fungicide resistance monitoring: Tracking the emergence and spread of resistance to commonly used fungicides.

I am currently involved in the following courses:

• Individual lecture at the BI1267- Integrated Pest Management in Sustainable Production Systems
• Student group project at the BI1380 Urban Ecology for the Development of Sustainable Living Student supervision

Are you a Bachelor’s or Master’s student looking for a thesis topic, or interested in gaining extra research experience in the lab? Get in touch! You are welcome to join one of our ongoing projects or develop your own idea inspired by them.

2023 – ongoing Postdoc in Evolutionary Biology at the Integrated Plant Protection (IPP) Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, SLU Alnarp

2018 – 2022 PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä (Finland)

2017-2018 Six-month research assistant at the Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, SLU Alnarp

2017 One-month research assistant at the Department of Biology, Lund University

2017 Six-months internship at the Department of Biology, Lund University through the Erasmus+ Traineeship Program

2013 – 2016 MSc. in Evolutionary Biology, University of Padova (Italy) with one semester abroad through the Erasmus+ Exchange Program at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland)

2010 – 2013 BSc in Biology, University of Padova (Italy)

2025 Lankinen, Å., Andersen, C. B., Mostafanezhad, H., De Pasqual, C., Hederström, V., Stridh, L. J., Liljeroth, E., Grenville-Briggs, L. “Early blight infection and the influence of biocontrol agents on wild potato relatives: Implications for integrated pest management (IPM) in potato” Potato Research, 1-29 

2025 Selenius, E^., De Pasqual, C^., Hänninen, M., Kartano, L., Winters, S., Mappes, J. “Ecological Contexts Shape Sexual Selection on Color Morphs in Wood Tiger Moths” Behavioural Ecology, 36(3), araf027 ^Shared first-authorship

2024 De Pasqual, C., Selenius, E., Burdfield-Steel, E., Mappes, J. “Morph-linked variation in female pheromone signalling and male response in a polymorphic moth” Journal of Animal Ecology, 93(11), 1697-1709 

2024 Karlsson Green, K., De Pasqual, C., Litto, M., Anderson, P. “Population comparison of innate and plastic host plant preference and performance in a polyphagous insect” Front. Ecol. Evol. 12:1426923. Doi: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1426923 

2022 De Pasqual, C. On the maintenance of intrapopulation genetic variation: The interplay between sexual selection, chemical communication, and fitness in the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis). PhD thesis. University of Jyväskylä. 

2022 De Pasqual, C*., Suisto, K., Kirvesoja, J., Gordon, S., Ketola, T., Mappes, J. “Heterozygote advantage and pleiotropy contribute to intraspecific color trait variability” Evolution, 76(10), 2389-2403 

Featured in the digest: Lungstrom, L. L., & Fedder, Z. J. (2023). Digest: “Multiple selective pressures drive color diversity in moths” Evolution, 928-929 

2021 De Pasqual, C*., Groot, Astrid T., Mappes, J., Burdfield-Steel, E. “Evolutionary importance of intraspecific variation in sex pheromones” Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 36(9), 848-859 

2018 Rojas, B., Burdfield-Steel, E., De Pasqual, C., Gordon, S., Hernández, L., Mappes, J., Nokelainen, O., Rönkä, K., & Lindstedt, C. “Multimodal aposematic signals and their emerging role in mate attraction” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 6, 93 

Featured in the e-book: Groot, A.T., Vedenina, V.Y., eds. (2021). “Multimodal Mating Signals: Evolution, Genetics and Physiological Background”. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88966-488-7” 

2018 Rönkä, K^., De Pasqual, C^., Mappes, J., Gordon, S., Rojas, B. “Colour alone matters: no predator generalisation among morphs of an aposematic morph” Animal Behaviour 135, 153-163 ^Shared first-authorship