Insects exposed to low temperature stress can experience chill injury, but incorporating fluctuating thermoprofiles increases survival and blocks the development of sub-lethal effects. The specific parameters required for a protective thermoprofile are poorly understood, because most studies test a limited range of thermoprofiles. For example, thermoprofiles with a wave profile may perform better than a…

Kayla is a PhD candidate working in Dr. Greenlee’s lab at North Dakota State University. Currently she works on how stress impacts the reproduction of Megachile rotundata the alfalfa leafcutting bee. She is specifically interested in how cold temperatures and flower availability impact reproduction. Her favorite part of the job is the problem solving that…

The response of ectotherms to temperature stress is complex, non-linear, and is influenced by life stage and previous thermal exposure. Mortality is higher under constant low temperatures than under a fluctuating thermal regime (FTR) that maintains the same low temperature but adds a brief, daily pulse of increased temperature. Long term exposure to FTR has…

Assistant Professor of Research Dr. Giancarlo Lopez-Martinez (GC) joined the Fargo ICE group at the beginning of the Fall 2018 semester. He moved from New Mexico to North Dakota after accepting an Assistant Professor of Research in the Biological Sciences department at  North Dakota State University. His expertise is comparative stress physiology with a focus…