Extension
445715
Oficina
S-36

My research aims at disentangling the trophic relationship between mixotrophic protists (mixoplankton) as prey and copepods as their predators. Specifically, I investigate the fate of nutrient transfer (C, N, P) up to copepods mediated by mixoplankton when grown as pure autotrophic versus mixotrophic and exploring variable inorganic stoichiometry scenarios as expected to occur in most coastal systems. Hence, I am currently studying how these changes associated to the mixoplankton trophic mode may nutritionally affect (nutritional deficiency or toxicity) or benefit (nutrient acquisition compensation) copepod physiology and fitness. Main approach: I am mostly working in the laboratory to conduct in vivo experiments with alive specimens of both prey and predators. Furthermore, I rely on ecophysiological modelling techniques to perform in silico simulation of food web dynamics.