EctoAdapToArid
ECTOHERM PHYSIOLOGY IN ARID CLIMATES
Welcome to EctoAdapToArid, a research project dedicated to studying ectotherms and their physiology in desert environments.
About the Project
EctoAdapToArid is a scientific research project funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency and led by the Department of Ecosystem and Organism Research at the National Institute of Biology NIB (Slovenia) in collaboration with the Gobabeb Namib Research Institute (Namibia). The project focuses on exploring adaptive and plasticity potential of ectotherm physiology, namely, traits involved in metabolism and water retention, to respond to climate change in arid environments.
Our Research
Objectives
The project aims to improve our understanding of how metabolism and water retention ability reflect current climate and environmental pressures in ectotherms in the Namib Desert. We will study their physiological adaptation along a fog-moisture gradient, across seasons, and using the common garden experimental approach to test short- and long-term responses. The knowledge gained will inform eco-physiologically integrated mechanistic modelling to better understand the effects of climate change on ectotherms in arid environments.
Team
Institutions
Funding
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS)
NOO funds (The Recovery and Resilience Facility)
