· Evolutionary Ecology
· Zoology
· Ecological Methods
My research mainly focuses on the ecology of small mammals and small mammal-associated zoonotic pathogens (RNA viruses and bacteria), understanding the drivers of host population changes over spatial and temporal spans, as well as Ecologically-Based Rodent Management (EBRM). A significant part of my research also focuses on studying the phylogenetics and phylogeography of small mammals using genomic methods, which contribute to their conservation efforts.
Land use change and zoonotic disease spillover risks in the East Africa mountain ecosystem: A One Health Study (SLU Future One Health, 2023-2024).
Drivers of cutaneous leishmaniasis re/emergence and spread in mountain ecosystems: a transdisciplinary one-health study (SLU Future One Health, 2024-2025).
Identification of best practices for biodiversity recovery and public health interventions to prevent future epidemics and pandemics (EU HORIZON, 2022-2026).
Mainstreaming ecological restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a Landscape context: Innovation, upscaling and transformation (EU HORIZON, 2021-2025).
PhD in Biology from the University of Antwerp, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Belgium. Thesis title: "Ecology of rodents in agroecosystems in northern Ethiopia: pest and public health, 2008-2012."
MSc and BSc in Biology (Ecological and Systematic Zoology) from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Postdoc and research associate at the Department of Population Biology, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic, in 2012/2013 and 2020/2021.
Associate Professor at the Department of Biology, Mekelle University, Ethiopia.
Director of the Institute of Mountain Research & Development at Mekelle University, Ethiopia.
Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University.
Stuart, A.M., Jacob, J., Awoniyi, A.M., Costa, F., Bosma L., Meheretu, Y., Htwe, N.M., Williamson, S., Eddleston, M., Dalecky, A., Willis S. (2024). Alternative domestic rodent pest management approaches to address the hazardous use of metal phosphides in low- and middle-income countries. Journal of Pest Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-024-01825-7.
Behrends, G.J., Meheretu, Y., Manthey, J.D. (2024). The Great Rift Valley is a more pronounced biogeographic barrier than the Blue Nile Valley for six Ethiopian Highland passerines in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot. Ornithology, ukae030, https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukae030.
Lövy, M., Šumbera, R., Konopová, B., Svačinová, L., Bryja, J., Meheretu, Y., Mikula, O. (2024). Ecomorphological characteristics of Afroalpine rodent communities. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 73(24027):24027.1-20. https://doi.org/10.25225/jvb.24027.
Dalecky, A., Sow, I., Ibrahim Danzabarma AA, Garba M, Etougbétché J, Badou S, Dossou H-J, Niang CT, Diene O, Diallo I, Saghiri MSA, Sidatt MEH, van Steenbergen F, Bal AB, Bosma L, Houéménou G, Ag Atteynine S, Hima K, Dobigny G, Meheretu Y (2024). From problem to progress: rodent management in agricultural settings of sub-Saharan Africa and calling for an urban perspective. Crop Protection, 181, 106673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2024.106673.
Meheretu, Y., Mikula, O., Frynta, D., Frýdlová, P., Mulualem, G., Lavrenchenko, L.A., Kostin, D.S., Elmi, H.S.A., Šumbera, R., Bryja, J. (2023). Phylogeny, biogeography, and integrative taxonomic revision of the Afro-Arabian rodent genus Ochromyscus (Muridae: Murinae: Praomyini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlad158. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad158.
Welegerima, K., Makundi, R.H., Broecke, B.V., Mbije, N.E., Meheretu, Y. (2023). Seasonal breeding in three sympatric rodent species in semi-arid Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Mammalia, 88 (4), 299-310. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2023-0100.
Welegerima, K., Meheretu, Y., Bryja, J., Mulualem, G., Hayelom, W., Kedir, F., Massawe, A.W., Mbije, N.E., Makundi, R.H. (2023). Afromontane mosaic vegetation acts as a barrier between small mammals from two savannah biomes in northern Ethiopia. Biodiversity and Conservation, 33, 1459–1478. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-024-02811-2.
Mizerovská, D., Martynov, A.A., Mikula, O., Bryjová, A., Meheretu, Y., Lavrenchenko, L.A., Bryja, J. (2023). Genomic diversity, evolutionary history, and species limits of the endemic Ethiopian laminate-toothed rats (genus Otomys, Rodentia: Muridae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlad063. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad063]
Dalecky A, Garba M, ..., Dobigny G, Meheretu Y. (2023). Rodent proliferation in urban and agricultural settings of sub-Saharan Africa: The dark side of synthetic chemical rodenticides. Environ Risque Sante, 22: 205-211. [DOI: 10.1684/ers.2023.1731]
Gebrezgiher, G.B., Makundi, R.H., Katakweba, A.A.S., Belmain, S.R., Lyimo, C.M., Meheretu, Y. (2023). Arthropod ectoparasites of two rodent species occurring in varying elevations on Tanzania's second-highest mountain. Biology, 12(3), 394.
Donga, T.K., Bosma, L., Gawa, N., Meheretu, Y. (2023). Rodents in agriculture and public health in Malawi: farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Frontiers in Agronomy, 4: 936908.
Bryja, J., Meheretu, Y., Boratyński, Z. Ali, Z., Denys, C., Getachew M., Kiros, W., Bryjová, A., Mohammed, K., Kostin, D.S., Martynov, A.A., Lavrenchenko, L.A. (2022). Rodents of the Afar Triangle (Ethiopia): geographical isolation causes a high level of endemism. Biodiversity and Conservation, 31, 629–650. [DOI: 10.1007/s10531-022-02354-4]
Gebrezgiher, G.B., Makundi, R.H., Meheretu, Y., Mulungu, L.S., Katakweba, A.A.S. (2022). A decade-long change in the elevational distribution of non-volant small mammals on Mount Meru, Tanzania. Diversity, 14(6), 454.
Manthey, J.D., Bourgeois, Y., Meheretu, Y., Boissinot, S. (2022). Varied diversification patterns and distinct demographic trajectories in Ethiopian montane forest bird (Aves: Passeriformes) populations separated by the Great Rift Valley. Molecular Ecology, 31(9), 2664-2678.
Krásová, J., Mikula, O., Lavrenchenko, L.A. Šumbera, R., Meheretu, Y., Bryja, J. (2022). A new rodent species of the genus Mus (Rodentia: Muridae) confirms the biogeographical uniqueness of the isolated forests of southern Ethiopia. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 22, 491–509. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-022-00539-x]
Lövy, M., Boratyński, Z., Okrouhlík, J., Meheretu, Y., Pleštilová, L., Šumbera, R. (2022). Alternative highland adaptations: mass of internal organs and fur insulation in small Ethiopian mammals. Journal of Zoology, 319(2), 119–130. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13028]
Meheretu, Y., Granberg, Å., Berhane, G., Khalil, H., Lwande, O. W., Mitiku, M., Welegerima, K., de Bellocq, J.G., Bryja, J., Abreha, H., Leirs, H., Ecke, F., Evander, M. (2021). Prevalence of Orthohantavirus-Reactive Antibodies in Humans and Peri-Domestic Rodents in Northern Ethiopia." Viruses, 13, 1054. [DOI: 10.3390/v13061054]
Bletsa, M., Vrancken, B, Gryseels, S., Boonen, I., Fikatas, A., Li, Y., Laudisoit, A., Lequime, S., Bryja, J., Makundi, R., Meheretu, Y. et al., (2021). Molecular detection and genomic characterization of diverse hepaciviruses in African rodents. Virus Evolution. [DOI: 10.1093/ve/veab036]
Nicolas, V., Mikula, O., Lavrenchenko, L.A., Šumbera, R., Bartáková, V., Bryjová, A., Meheretu, Y., Verheyen, E., Missoup, A.D., Lemmon, A.R., Lemmon, E.M., Bryja, J. (2021). Phylogenomics of African radiation of Praomyini (Muridae: Murinae) rodents: first fully resolved phylogeny, evolutionary history and delimitation of extant genera. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 163, 107263.
Meheretu, Y., Stanley, W.T., Craig, E.W., Goüy de Bellocq, J., Bryja, J., Leirs, H., Pahlmann, M., Günther, S. (2019). Tigray Orthohantavirus Infects Two Related Rodent Species Adapted to Different Elevations in Ethiopia. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 19(12), 950-953.
Bryja, J., Meheretu, Y., Šumbera, R., Lavrenchenko, L.A. (2019). Annotated checklist, taxonomy and distribution of rodents in Ethiopia. Folia Zoologica, 68(3), 117–213.
De Bellocq, J., Těšíková, J., Meheretu, Y., Čížková, D., Bryjová, A., Leirs, H., Bryja, J. (2016). Complete genome characterisation & phylogenetic position of Tigray hantavirus from the Ethiopian white-footed mouse, Stenocephalemys albipes. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 45, 242–245.
Meheretu, Y., Leirs, H., Welegerima, K., Breno, M., Tomas, Z., Kidane, D., Girmay, K., Goüy de Bellocq, J. (2013). Bartonella prevalence and genetic diversity in small mammals from Ethiopia. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 13(3), 164-175.
Meheretu, Y., Čížková, D., Těšíková, J., Welegerima, K., Tomas, Z., Kidane, D., Girmay, K., Schmidt-Chanasit, J., Bryja, J., Günther, S., Bryjová, A., Leirs, H., Goüy de Bellocq, J. (2012). High Diversity of RNA Viruses in Rodents, Ethiopia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 18(12), 2047-2050.