Objective
Anthropogenic nitrate contamination has increased significantly in recent decades but its effects on aquatic species are still poorly understood. The toxicity of nitrates has long been underestimated compared to ammonia and nitrites. However, new evidence indicates that long-term nitrate exposure not only impairs growth, fertilization and fecundity, but also weakens the immune response decreasing disease resistance in aquatic species. Nitrates can favour diseases through direct effects on parasite performance and/or indirectly by influencing host-pathogen interactions . Using a well studied host-parasite system, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) and its native pathogen (Gyrodactylus turnbulli), this fellowship will assess the effects of nitrates on life-history traits and physiological functions. Specifically, we will i) determine the effect of nitrate on feeding behaviour, body condition, reproduction and immunity in guppies; ii) analyze any interaction effects between nitrates and pathogens; iii) determine the role of acquired immunity in adult fish; and iv) test for maternally inherited immunity transfer in F1 offspring. Pathogens and nitrates threaten both wild and captive fish populations, therefore the findings of this fellowship will have repercussions for aquaculture and water resource managers. Although the guppy has been widely used in a range of evolutionary, parasitological and toxicological studies, few studies have used this host-parasite system in ecotoxicology. In addition, this study will examine the disruptive endocrine effects of nitrates on the fish immune system. Understanding the effects of nitrates on this host-parasite system will increase our knowledge about fish and parasite as bioindicators of aquatic ecosystem health, and the consequences of nitrates as driving forces of host-parasite interactions in wild fish populations.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries fisheries
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences hydrology limnology
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
CF10 3AT CARDIFF
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.