Parasites – disease or delight?
Biologists have increasingly understood that parasites are part of a fully functional living world and if removed, the infrastructure of our planet would be drastically altered.
Professor Jens Hoeg from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark studies the highly evolved parasites that live on crustaceans using a series of molecular experiments and field sampling, and by applying the information in Web of Science to optimize his research efforts.
His particular focus is the European shore crab, which through human interference has spread to Tasmania in Australia, and to the east and west coast of America. In these ecosystems the crab spreads much faster than in its home in Europe and could do immense damage to local fauna and shellfish fisheries. In a short interview with Thomson Reuters, Prof. Hoeg explains how certain parasites, and even some bacterial diseases, actually sustain and nourish ecosystems and habitats. By understanding these parasites more clearly, we can be in a much better position to protect our environment when natural or imposed changes occur.
Hear our Intelligent Information for Life interview with Prof. Hoeg
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