• Aquatic Ecotoxicology
• Effect translation across ecosystem boundaries (aquatic-terrestrial)
• Food web ecology

As a part of the third SystemLink cohort, a field study will be conducted with 100 sampling sites located in different European countries along a stressor gradient. During the field study, emerging aquatic insects, terrestrial insects as well as spiders (ground hunting and web building species) will be sampled at different seasons and analysed for their nutritious quality targeting neutral and phospholipid fatty acids. Furthermore, these results will be linked to stable isotope analysis in combination with information of the predator diets, which will be conducted in cooperation with further PhD students. One key aim will be to distinguish the impacts of micropollution from changes in nutritional quality on the spider physiology. Endpoints will include energy reserves, growth, reproduction, and web quality of the spiders.

Project funding: DFG