Scientist

Faculty of Biology
Aquatic Ecology
Universitätsstrasse 5
D-45141 Essen
Germany

Room S05T03B23
Phone: +49.201.18.34695
Fax: +49.201.18.32179
annabell.huesken@uni-due.de

PhD thesis: From degraded to near-natural waterbodies – Establishment and development of trematode communities

Parasitism is one of the most successful and widespread forms of life on earth. Numerous studies have demonstrated the central role of parasites in ecological processes and their influence on ecosystem function and integrity. Nevertheless, our understanding of host-parasite interactions and their responses to changes in ecosystems remains limited. This is especially true for parasites with complex life cycles - such as digenean trematodes - whose occurrence and distribution are influenced by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors. However, especially due to their complex life cycles and inherent connectedness to free-living organisms, trematodes can provide informative insights into species composition and environmental conditions in the studied habitat.

As part of the Research Center One Health Ruhr, this project aims to investigate trematode communities in their first intermediate host, aquatic mollusks, in water bodies with different ecological conditions and anthropogenic influence. Therefore, aquatic snails and mussels are sampled from degraded and restored sections of the Boye River, as well as in comparable water bodies with less anthropogenic influence, to assess their trematode fauna. The hosts and parasites are identified morphologically and with molecular methods to analyze species diversity, prevalence and host specificity and draw conclusions about the respective habitats.