Research interests

My primary interest is chemical ecology, and more specifically the role that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play in the interactions between plants and their environment. Plants can produce a blend of volatiles that relay specific information to herbivores, herbivore enemies, or neighbouring plants. Assessing these chemical profiles (also known as chemotypes) can provide insight into how plants interact with their neighbouring community and defend themselves against herbivores. I am currently working on identifying chemotypes and metabotypes in cotton, with the focus of contributing to research that aims to reduce pesticide use in farmed cotton.

Publications

Senft, M., Clancy, M. V., Weisser, W. W., Schnitzler, J. P., & Zytynska, S. E. (2019). Additive effects of plant chemotype, mutualistic ants and predators on aphid performance and survival. Functional ecology, 33(1), 139-151.

Zytynska, S. E., Guenay, Y., Sturm, S., Clancy, M. V., Senft, M., Schnitzler, J. P., ... & Weisser, W. W. (2019). Effect of plant chemical variation and mutualistic ants on the local population genetic structure of an aphid herbivore. Journal of Animal Ecology.

Clancy, M. V., Zytynska, S. E., Moritz, F., Witting, M., Schmitt‐Kopplin, P., Weisser, W. W., & Schnitzler, J. P. (2018). Metabotype variation in a field population of tansy plants influences aphid host selection. Plant, cell & environment, 41(12), 2791-2805.

Clancy, M. V., Zytynska, S. E., Senft, M., Weisser, W. W., & Schnitzler, J. P. (2016). Chemotypic variation in terpenes emitted from storage pools influences early aphid colonisation on tansy. Scientific reports, 6, 38087.