HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research
Plant Protection Institute​
Behaviour Ecology and Pollination Lab
Our research
We’re studying foraging and predator-prey interactions to better understand how individual behaviour is shaped by the presence of inadvertently produced social information, environmental cues or anthropogenic stressors, and how it scales up to influence the dynamics of animal aggregations, colonies and populations.
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We use computer simulations and experimental approaches to address our research questions in different model species. Our work has practical implications for biological control and conservation, and may contribute to a better understanding of intriguing theoretical issues.​​
Current projects:​
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1. We experimentally investigate the sub-lethal effects of chronic insecticide exposure on the foraging behaviour of buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris L.). In 2025, we also conduct a questionnaire survey to assess insecticide use patterns and the underlying motivations among Hungarian farmers and small garder owners. For more information on this project, click HERE! (in Hungarian)
​2. We use individual-based models (in R and NetLogo) to examine the colony-level consequences of pesticides’ sub-lethal effects over multiple generations in buff-tailed bumblebees. We also explore what exposure patterns lead to population declines or disruptions in the species’ pollination service in different agricultural landscapes and under different climate change scenarios.
​3. We study how the exploitation of predation threat-related social cues affect population dynamics and persistence of non-grouping prey using individual-based models in R. For more details on this topic, please have a look at our review (Tóth et al. 2020 Front Ecol Evol).
Lab members
Contact
We are always looking for new collaborators and enthusiastic students to join our lab. If you want to start a joint research project with us or are looking for a supervisor, please contact Zoltán Tóth.
Address
Júlia major Research Station
HUN-REN ATK Plant Protection Institute
26-30. Nagykovácsi Street,
H-2094 Nagykovácsi
Hungary