About:

Anouk Goedknegt      - PhD student   

 CV

Project

When invasive species enter a new ecosystem they can affect native species in a variety of ways. For example, in their new habitat invasive species often lack natural enemies like predators and pathogens (enemy release hypothesis), giving them a competitive advantage over native species. At the same time, the risk for native species can become even higher as invaders can co-introduce pathogens. These new pathogens may infect native hosts  and cause severe disease problems for native populations (spill-over effect). In turn, the invader can also serve as a new host for native pathogens, thereby increasing the number of potential hosts and consequently making it easier for the pathogen to spread and increase in native host (spill-back effect). Alternatively, the new invader can release native hosts from parasite pressure, for example by feeding on the parasites (dilution effects, see PhD project Jennifer Welsh). The outcome of these effects on pathogen-host systems can also have indirect effects on predator-prey relationships. For example, infected prey can be easier or less easy be preyed upon by predators. Consequently, these interactions of pathogens, prey and predators have implications  for the structure  in the food webs. This project investigates the interplay of these effects in a marine system, focusing on the most prominent invader in the Wadden Sea, the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), which is invading native mussel beds (Mytilus edulis).

Publications

Goedknegt, Anouk; Welsh, Jennifer; and Thieltges, David W (September 2012) Parasites as Prey. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester 

Outreach

Blog Zeeinzicht

Bachelor and Master projects

During the whole year there are possibilities for students to do a bachelor or master project in our group. If you are interested, please contact David Thieltges, Jennifer Welsh or me.