PARAISO · Novel integrated experimental and analytical approaches to unravel parasitic interactions by stable isotope analyses
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2022-09-01 → 2024-08-31
- EU contribution
- €187,572
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Novel integrated experimental and analytical approaches to unravel parasitic interactions by stable isotope analyses
Parasites play an important role in food webs and the use of stable isotopes has been recently implemented to disentangle parasitic trophic interactions, specifically traditional bulk stable isotopes (bulk SIA, whole tissue analyses). However, these analyses show considerably high variability of the isotopic differences between parasites and their resources (i.e., their hosts), which can confound inferences regarding trophic interactions. A novel technique, the compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids (hereafter CSIA-AA), might provide information on a more profound level (i.e. individual amino acids) and thus better characterize parasite-host relationships. The PARAISO project aims to make a significant contribution to our understanding of parasitic trophic interactions and their potential to affect the isotopic composition of infected hosts through an innovative integrated approach combining field sampling and laboratory feeding experiments with the simultaneous analysis of bulk SIA and CSIA-AA. This combination, applied to different parasite-hosts systems, will allow for determination of isotopic changes caused by dietary shifts versus parasitic infections, in both hosts and parasites. PARAISO is the first project to apply this novel interdisciplinary approach using cutting-edge technologies and thus will significantly advance our understanding of trophic transfer in parasite-host interactions.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Parasitic trophic interactions have been largely excluded in food web studies, but recent research has highlighted their integral role in affecting food web properties. Previous efforts to unravel trophic interactions between parasites and their hosts have used stable isotope analysis of whole tissues (bulk SIA, 13C and 15N), but these studies show considerably higher variability in the isotopic differences between parasites and their resources than usually observed for free-living species. This variability, combined with likely effects on the isotopic composition of infected hosts further confound trophic interactions within food webs. PARAISO aims to make a significant contribution to our understanding of parasitic trophic interactions and their potential to affect the isotopic composition of infected hosts through an innovative integrated approach combining field sampling and laboratory feeding experiments with the simultaneous analysis of bulk SIA and compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids (CSIA-AA). This novel technique allows for the detection of changes in individual amino acids during trophic transfer and for comparison of source vs trophic amino acids to identify the trophic level of individual animals. Combining field samplings, laboratory-based feeding experiments with four common coastal parasite-host systems, and the use of bulk SIA and CSIA-AA will allow for determination of isotopic changes caused by dietary shifts or parasitic infections in both hosts and parasites. With this novel interdisciplinary approach using cutting-edge technologies, PARAISO will significantly advance our understanding of trophic transfer during parasite-host interactions. Through successful implementation of this project, the gained skills and dissemination actions will considerably contribute to EU excellence in isotope ecology and ecological parasitology and place the applicant in a powerful position to continue her career.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- STICHTING NEDERLANDSE WETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK INSTITUTEN · UtrechtCoordinatorNetherlands
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union