Trial Lecture
Title: Different levels of biodiversity and their application for conservation
Time and place: Sep. 19, 2024, 10:15 AM, Botanical Museum (Lids hus)
Public Defence
Adjudication Committee
- Researcher, Dr. Micaela Hellström, Uppsala Science Park
- Assistant Professor, Mathew Seymour, University of Hong Kong
- Associate Professor, Michael Matschiner, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
- Professor Micah Dunthorn, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo
Supervisors
- Research Director and Professor Hugo de Boer, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo
- Researcher, Dr. Quentin Mauvisseau, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo
- Associate Professor, Jonathan Stuart Ready, Federal University of Pará
Summary
Marine ecosystems face significant challenges, making effective conservation and sustainable management strategies essential. Understanding how species interact within marine food webs is crucial for managing fisheries and protecting these environments. Traditional methods of studying fish diets often fall short in revealing these complex interactions.
This research employed dietary DNA metabarcoding, an advanced technique that identifies fish diets by analyzing their stomach contents, to explore the Southwestern Atlantic marine food web. The first chapter reveals that carangid fish have diverse diets, including many early-stage fish and invertebrates, suggesting potential competition that could impact fish populations. The second chapter shows that clupeiform species, such as the Brazilian sardine, are crucial to the diets of many predators, highlighting their significant role in the ecosystem. This demonstrates the need for fisheries management to consider both surface-dwelling and bottom-dwelling species.
The final chapter identifies key species that maintain food web connections through DNA metabarcoding and network analysis. Therefore, protecting these species is vital for the health of marine ecosystems. Overall, this research underscores the importance of DNA-based techniques in understanding marine biodiversity and offers critical insights for sustainable fishing practices and conservation efforts in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.
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