Isabelle De Cauwer
Unité Evo-Eco-Paléo (EEP) – UMR 8198
CNRS / Université de Lille – Sciences et Technologies
Batiment SN2, bureau 107
59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq – FRANCE
Biologie Evolutive
Dynamique des Population
Génétique des Populations
Evolutionary Biology
Population Dynamics
Population Genetics
Mes recherches s’inscrivent dans le domaine de l’écologie évolutive, avec un intérêt particulier pour la reproduction des plantes à fleurs. Je m’intéresse notamment aux interactions entre les plantes et leurs pollinisateurs : comment les plantes attirent-elles les insectes pollinisateurs ? Quel rôle jouent ces derniers dans l’évolution des traits floraux ? Ce rôle varie-t-il selon le sexe des plantes chez les espèces à sexes séparés ? Le déclin des pollinisateurs peut-il modifier la sélection sur les traits floraux, et si oui, de quelle manière ? Pour répondre à ces questions, j’adopte des approches empiriques combinant observations de terrain et expérimentations en conditions contrôlées, et j’étudie une diversité d’espèces modèles présentant des écologies et des régimes de reproduction variés.
My research falls within the field of evolutionary ecology, with a particular focus on the reproduction of flowering plants. I am especially interested in the interactions between plants and their pollinators: how do plants attract pollinating insects? What role do pollinators play in the evolution of floral traits? Does this role vary between sexes in dioecious species? Can the decline of pollinators affect selection on floral traits, and if so, in what way? To address these questions, I use empirical approaches combining field observations and controlled experiments, studying a variety of model species with diverse ecologies and reproductive systems.
De Cauwer I, Delle-Vedove R, Buatois B, Godé C, Dufay M (2025). Striking variation of pollinator attracting scent within a highly specialized pollination system. Journal of Ecology. In press.
Barbot E, Dufaÿ M, Godé C, De Cauwer I (2025). Investigating the effects of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators on male and female reproductive success and on floral trait selection in Silene dioica. Peer Community Journal 5(e11).
Barbot E, Dufaÿ M, De Cauwer I (2023). Sex-specific selection patterns in a dioecious insect-pollinated plant. Evolution 77(7): 1578–1590.
Moquet L, Jacquemart A-L, Dufay M, De Cauwer I (2022). Effects of sexual dimorphism on pollinator behaviour in a dioecious species. Oikos 2022: e08662.
Barbot E, Dufaÿ M, Tonnabel J, Godé C, De Cauwer I (2022). On the function of flower number: disentangling fertility from pollinator-mediated selection. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 289: 20221987.
De Cauwer I, Vernet P, Billiard S, Godé C, Bourceaux A, Ponitzki C, Saumitou-Laprade P (2021). Widespread coexistence of self-compatible and self-incompatible phenotypes in a diallelic self-incompatibility system in Ligustrum vulgare (Oleaceae). Heredity 127: 384–392.
Vanderplanck M, Touzet P, Van Rossum F, Lahiani E, De Cauwer I, Dufaÿ M (2020). Does pollination syndrome reflect pollinator efficiency in Silene nutans? Acta Oecol 105: 103557.
Moquet L, Lateur L, Jacquemart A-L, De Cauwer I, Dufay M (2020). Temporal dynamics of sexual dimorphism in a dioecious species. Ann Bot 126: 471–480.
Mariotti R, Pandolfi S, De Cauwer I, Saumitou-Laprade P, Vernet P, Rossi M et al (2020). Diallelic self-incompatibility is the main determinant of fertilization patterns in olive orchards. Evol Appl 00: 1-13.
Meyer EH, Lehmann C, Boivin S, Brings L, De Cauwer I, Bock R et al (2018). CMS-G from Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima is maintained in natural populations despite containing an atypical cytochrome c oxidase. Biochem J 475: 759-773.
Radersma R, Garroway CJ, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Farine DR, Slate J et al (2017). Social and spatial effects on genetic variation between foraging flocks in a wild bird population. Mol Ecol 26: 5807-5819.
Sepil I, Radersma R, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Slate J, Sheldon BC (2015). No evidence for MHC class I based disassortative mating in a wild population of great tits. J Evol Biol 28: 642-654.
Santure AW, Poissant J, De Cauwer I, van Oers K, Robinson MR, Quinn JL et al (2015). Replicated analysis of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits in two wild great tit populations. Mol Ecol 24: 6148-6162.
van Oers K, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Van Bers NEM, Crooijmans RPMA, Sheldon BC et al (2014). Replicated high-density genetic maps of two great tit populations reveal fine-scale genomic departures from sex-equal recombination rates. Heredity 112: 307–316.
Schroeder J, Dugdale HL, Radersma R, Hinsch M, Buehler DM, Saul J et al (2013). Fewer invited talks by women in evolutionary biology symposia. J Evol Biol 26: 2063–2069.
Robinson MR, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Sheldon BC, Slate J (2013). Partitioning of genetic variation across the genome using multi-marker methods in a wild bird population. Mol Ecol 22: 3963-3980.
Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Robinson MR, Poissant J, Sheldon BC, Slate J (2013). Genomic dissection of variation in clutch size and egg mass in a wild great tit (Parus major) population. Mol Ecol 22: 3949-3962.
Garroway CJ, Radersma R, Sepil I, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Slate J et al (2013). Fine-scale genetic structure in a wild bird population: the role of limited dispersal and environmentally-based selection as causal factors. Evolution 67: 3488–3500.
van Bers NEM, Santure AW, van Oers K, De Cauwer I, Dibbits BW, Mateman C et al (2012). The design and cross-population application of a high density SNP chip for the passerine Parus major. Mol Ecol Resour 12: 753-770.
De Cauwer I, Dufay M, Hornoy B, Courseaux A, Arnaud J-F (2012). Gynodioecy in structured populations: understanding fine-scale sex ratio variation in gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima. Mol Ecol 21: 834-850.
De Cauwer I, Arnaud J-F, Klein EK, Dufay M (2012). Disentangling the causes of heterogeneity in male fecundity in gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima. New Phytol 195: 676–687.
De Cauwer I, Arnaud J-F, Courseaux A, Dufay M (2011). Sex-specific fitness variation in gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima: do empirical observations fit theoretical predictions? J Evol Biol 24: 2456-2472.
De Cauwer I, Arnaud J-F, Schmitt E, Dufay M (2010). Pollen limitation of female reproductive success at fine spatial scale in a gynodioecious and wind-pollinated species, Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima. J Evol Biol 23: 2636–2647.
De Cauwer I, Dufay M, Cuguen J, Arnaud J-F (2010). Effects of fine-scale genetic structure on male mating success in gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima. Mol Ecol 19: 1540-1558.
Dufay M, Vaudey V, De Cauwer I, Touzet P, Cuguen J, Arnaud J-F (2008). Variation in pollen production and pollen viability in natural populations of gynodioecious Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima: evidence for a cost of restoration? J Evol Biol 21: 202-212.
Fénart S, Arnaud J-F, De Cauwer I, Cuguen J (2008). Nuclear and cytoplasmic genetic diversity in weed beet and sugar beet accessions compared to wild relatives: new insights into the genetic relationships within the Beta vulgaris complex species. Theor Appl Genet 116: 1063-1077.
2010 : Doctorat en Biologie Evolutive (Université de Lille)
2010-2012 : Post-doctorat (University of Sheffield, UK)
Depuis 2012 : Maître de Conférences (Université de Lille)
2010: PhD in Evolutionary Biology (University of Lille)
2010-2012: Postdoctoral Researcher (University of Sheffield, UK)
Since 2012: Associate Professor (University of Lille)