The structuring role of Parasite disease On zooplankton In Coastal Ecosystems (POICE)

Informations

Funding country

Norway

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

1/1/2021

End date

12/31/2025

Budget

1,433,811 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

POICE examines how parasites structure food webs in the ocean’s free water masses. From studies on land, we know that parasites and disease are important in governing ecological interactions, but studies of zooplankton typically ignore this. Understanding the role of parasites as driving agents is fundamental for predicting function of coastal food webs, especially as these systems are also changing in concert with the climate. The objective of POICE is to quantify the distribution of parasites in Norwegian coastal waters and determine their structuring role for marine copepods, the most abundant animals on the planet. We will also examine how this link depends on the environment. We will also study how parasite infection alters key features of copepod physiology and behavior, and how the environment affects infection risk. With these data, we can use disease models to predict future dynamics induced by climate change. Such insights are critical for future sustainable management of the valuable coastal waters of Norway. We will combine field sampling, molecular screening, lab experiments, and modelling to get a holistic picture of the importance of the parasite-copepod coupling for coastal pelagic systems.