Host-pathogen dynamics in freshwater ecosystems are heavily influenced by environmental temperature, which affects both the host's fitness and immune response and the pathogen's growth and virulence. This is especially critical for ectothermic aquatic organisms, like crayfish, that cannot easily migrate to more favorable conditions. Global warming is altering freshwater temperature regimes, leading to both gradual increases and more frequent, severe heat waves, which are expected to greatly impact disease dynamics. This study will examine how various temperature regimes, reflecting realistic current and predicted conditions in Croatian and Swiss freshwaters, affect the dynamics of crayfish plague caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci. Using a combination of laboratory trials, gene expression studies, and predictive modeling, the study aims to enhance understanding of disease dynamics under changing environmental temperatures, providing insights into the future impacts of climate change on freshwater ecosystems.
Contact: Eliane Jemmi, Simone Pisano, Heike Schmidt-Posthaus
