Quentin VERTREZ

The PhD project, EALTH, investigates the long-term effects of chemical contamination on the life-history traits of the common prawn (Palaemon serratus). It aims to determine whether differences in contaminant tolerance among populations result from environmentally driven plastic responses or from genetic adaptations that can be inherited across generations. To address these questions, populations with different levels of chemical tolerance collected from sites along the English Channel–Atlantic continuum will be compared. The potential costs of tolerance will be also investigated by assessing larval vulnerability to two environmental stressors associated with global change: ocean acidification and marine heatwaves. By monitoring larval survival, development, locomotor behaviour and juvenile performance, this research will contribute to a better understanding of the ecological consequences of chronic pollution and the ability of marine populations to cope with environmental change.