Task 2

Task 2 aims to understand the effects of climate change-related stressors (marine heatwaves, hypoxia) and/or emerging pathogen (Vibrio harveyi) infections in farmed fish gut microbiome,  tissue integrity and functioning. 

Hence, three subtasks are being undertaken:

2.1. Metagenomic microbiome characterization

2.2. Histomorphology and immunohistochemistry in gut tissue

2.3. Digestive enzymes activity

The novel data acquired in throughout this task will constitute the first piece of evidence confirming that marine heatwaves and/or hypoxic events can significantly modulate farmed marine fish gut microbiome (favouring the proliferation of some bacterial species over others), integrity and functioning, potentially compromising fish immunity and resilience to pathogens, as well as, nutrient digestion and bioavailability.