Coping with a changing world: the consequences of rapid evolutionary adaptation to combinations of multiple stressors

Rapid evolutionary adaptation is increasingly considered as an important mechanism allowing animals to adapt to a rapidly changing world. Our research has shown that rotifers, a type of very common freshwater zooplankton, are able to adapt to poor food quality or enhanced salt concentrations in not more than a few months. At this moment, we investigate how rotifers cope with combinations of stressors. More specifically, we run evolution experiments in the laboratory exposing populations to the metal Cu and high temperatures, with the aim to study how adaptation to one stressor impedes or enhances the response to the other stressor.

This internship is open for MBO, HBO or masters level and can be taken up at any time of the year. The work requires a full time dedication.

Supervisor: Steven Declerck (s.declerck@nioo.knaw.nl)

Daily supervision: Shuwen Han