Project

Assessing the ecophysiological mechanisms underpinning thermal resilience in native and non-native shellfish in the Wadden Sea

Motivation

Shellfish populations are critical for enhancing biodiversity and are important to the trophodynamic structure and function of the Wadden Sea, and native mussels and cockles are experiencing increased die-off due to thermal stress.

Aim & objectives

My aim is to unveil the ecophysiological mechanisms driving response to thermal stress in native mussel and cockle, and the newly introduced and plausible competitor: the nonnative Ruditapes philippinarum, known as the Manila clam.

Methodology

This project will introduce a novel approach for detecting shellfish ecophysiological response to stress using microsensor technology that can simultaneously measure heart rate, valve gap, and metabolic rate (eg. oxygen use, carbon dioxide production). Patterns detected in the laboratory will then be tested in situ through field trials and surveys in the Wadden Sea. MaxEnt habitat suitability modeling and Graphab connectivity modeling will be used to incorporate mechanistic findings from the laboratory and environmental data to produce species distribution projections based on different scenarios of climate change severity.