PAYO Dioli Ann

Abstract (taken from original project)

The red algal genus Portieria is a potentially important source of secondary metabolites (halogenated monoterpenes) for medicinal and pharmacological use. The main goals for my PhD were to better characterize the diversity and distribution of the genus in the Philippines. Previous studies had demonstrated unexplainable variation in secondary metabolites in field collected plants. I tested several hypotheses (spatio-temporal variation, grazing by seaslugs and cryptic diversity) which could potentially account for the variation in secondary metabolites. Of these cryptic diversity presented definitely the most important source of variation. Portieria in the Philippines presents a species complex of at least 30 species which are often geographically confined to single islands. To detect such fine-scale endemism in the marine environment is exceptional. Unfortunately these unforeseen levels of cryptic diversity have delayed part of my phd research.

Training location: the Phycology research Group of Ghent University

From top to bottom and left to right: Portieria collection - Central Philippines; Portieria collection - Central Philippines; with promoter, O. De Clerck;  Preparing for Portieria Survey with promoter; After Portieria collection - with promoter and co-promoter, F. Leliaert; Examining herbarium specimens in Leiden Herbarium; Examining herbarium specimens in Leiden Herbarium; and co-promoter; Portieria from the Philippines; Receiving her PhD at Ghent University; Celbrating her PhD with a BBQ