New book reveals: Parasites as a key to stable ecosystems!

New book reveals: Parasites as a key to stable ecosystems!

Duisburg, Deutschland - Today, an important specialist book entitled "Aquatic Parasitology - Ecological and Environmental Concepts and Implications of Marine and Freshwater Parasites" was published. According to Uni Duisburg-Essen It is an open-access publication that is available to readers and scientists free of charge worldwide. The editors, Prof. Dr. Bernd Sures from the University of Duisburg-Essen and Prof. Dr. Nico Smit from North-West University in South Africa, have gathered a variety of international experts who explain the diverse rolls of parasites in aquatic systems in a total of 23 chapters.

parasites are often considered harmful, but current research results show that they also take on essential functions within ecosystems. For example, you can influence the behavior of your hosts and contribute to the regulation of populations, which in turn maintains the ecological balance. In a study by the University of Duisburg-Essen it was found that Bach flea crabs that are affected by scratching worms become more active and less sensitive to the herbicide of metazing.

the meaning of biodiversity

A stable ecosystem is characterized by healthy biodiversity, which is able to adapt to changes in the environmental conditions. As reports fnr , species-rich ecosystems are more resistant to disorders, be it through natural influences such as floods or human interventions such as deforestation. A high biodiversity not only contributes to the balance of the species, but is also essential in the fight against climate changes.

With the publication of the new book, the relevance of parasitological research in times of global changes is also emphasized. The editors are convinced that the knowledge from this research should not only be conveyed to the scientific community, but also to the general public in order to raise awareness of the value and complexity of hydrobionic habitats.

ecological processes and their disorders

An ecosystem is in the ecological balance if the biodiversity remains stable over a longer period of time. Disorders can be caused by cyclical fluctuations or human interventions that result in both the disappearance of existing and adding new species. If such disorders occur, a process of succession is often carried out, in which the community gradually establishes itself in an affected area. This also shows the relevance of the conservation and promotion of biodiversity in order to ensure healthy and stable ecosystems that also stabilize the carbon cycle.

The knowledge from the "Aquatic Parasitology" is therefore not only important for scientists, but for everyone who deals with the preservation of biological diversity and the natural resources of our earth. The book has already been downloaded 40,000 times within just three weeks, which underlines the high need for information and research in this area.