Dr Sonja Rueckert's Projects (11)

The effects of parasites on food web structure and dynamics: new ways to improve accuracy and ecological realism Sep 1, 2021 - Sep 30, 2025
The main rational for this project is to gain a better understanding of how parasites affect food web structures and dynamics in commercially important marine fish species in Scottish waters. With e.g. herring being a key species in food webs of West... Read More about The effects of parasites on food web structure and dynamics: new ways to improve accuracy and ecological realism.

Applicability of the optical mesoscope technology to assess physical effects of noise on statocysts of marine invertebrate embryos/larvae: A proof of concept Feb 1, 2020 - Jan 31, 2023
We perceive oceans as quiet,but increasing levels of man-made noise can have negative effects on marine organisms. Invertebrates are under-represented in noise-related research but play significant roles in aquatic ecosystems. Noise can adversely... Read More about Applicability of the optical mesoscope technology to assess physical effects of noise on statocysts of marine invertebrate embryos/larvae: A proof of concept.

Gregarines - an aquatic symbiosis model system Jun 1, 2020 - Sep 1, 2024
Apicomplexans are widely distributed, single-celled organisms that are always described as obligate parasitic. Despite their importance for human health (malaria, toxoplasmosis) and vast literature on their virulence in animals, there is substantial... Read More about Gregarines - an aquatic symbiosis model system.

Design a smart system for pathogens detection in bathing waters Apr 1, 2019 - Sep 30, 2025
Monitoring the quality of recreational waters such as beaches and rivers is becoming a global concern to protect human health (e.g. the EU Bathing Water Directive (BWD) in Europe). In Scotland, water quality at 86 designated bathing water sites is as... Read More about Design a smart system for pathogens detection in bathing waters.

BES Travel Grant for PhD student Alex Kent Feb 1, 2017 - Feb 28, 2017
Travel grant to allow PhD student to attend Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Aquatic Sciences Meeting/conference in Hawaii.

Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on the Embryogenesis of Squids, Loligo spp. Jul 1, 2017 - Dec 31, 2018
Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on the Embryogenesis of Squids, Loligo spp.

Oral Infestation Challenge Jun 20, 2016 - Aug 5, 2016
Live Atlantic salmon will be experimentally infested with live anisakis simplex. The experiment will run for 35 days, and at certain sampling points, salmon will be euthanised and blood will be taken. This will then be used for cytometric analyses of... Read More about Oral Infestation Challenge.

Parasites in the deep Nov 1, 2014 - Jan 31, 2016
Parasites collected from different fish species (e.g. Barathrites iris) from the New Hebrides trench and the Kermadec trench will be identified on a morphological and molecular level.

Linking surface ultrastructure & molecular phylogeny of marine gregarine apicomplexan parasites Mar 1, 2013 - Nov 30, 2013
The aim of this project is to assess the surface ultrastructure of marine apicomplexan gregarines and to evaluate if similar surface morphologies of different gregarine species are reflected in molecular phylogenetic trees by the formation of distinc... Read More about Linking surface ultrastructure & molecular phylogeny of marine gregarine apicomplexan parasites.

Exploring the causes of Red Vent Syndrome in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from coastal waters around Scotland Jul 1, 2016 - Jun 30, 2017
This research will make direct comparisons of ?13C and ?15N isotope values from muscle tissue between populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) returning to the North, East and West coasts of Scotland. This work will investigate whether returning... Read More about Exploring the causes of Red Vent Syndrome in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from coastal waters around Scotland.

The juvenile fish fauna of a Kenyan mangrove forest: exploring new tools to understand growth and condition. Aug 1, 2016 - Dec 31, 2019
The project will work with a new PhD student who is collecting regular samples of juvenile fish from the Vanga mangrove forest in southern Kenya. The work will focus on two areas:
1) Describing the metazoan parasite fauna of the mangrove fish commun... Read More about The juvenile fish fauna of a Kenyan mangrove forest: exploring new tools to understand growth and condition..