Monika Quinones Winder

In the world’s largest ecosystem, marine plankton form complex trophic interaction networks that are influenced by environmental conditions.

Parasitic symbionts play a major role in the functioning and equilibrium of carbon flow in marine food webs. But the extent and strength of zooplankton parasites are still poorly known, mainly because they are hard to detect due to their small size and mostly hidden within their hosts, and consequently frequently overseen.

Water and soils are among the most important natural resources, without action, the pressure on these resources is likely to increase as a result of growing population, evolving food demand and the effects of a changing climate.

Human societies are dependent on ecosystem services for the provision of natural resources, and especially so in poorer developing areas. In coastal East Africa, a sustainable ecosystem production of fish is essential for food security and sustaining human livelihood.

Small-sized pelagic fish have a central role in marine food webs as they control production of predatory fish and at the same time feed on zooplankton and indirectly control algal blooms.