Project Portugal 2030

Summary

In order to maximize the background of the CRANG_ON team and the available infrastructure and instrumentation, seven main objectives can be outlined that run parallel to the five tasks described later in this proposal. TASK 1 - Animal selection, acclimatization and maintenance in the lab. In this phase the goal is to maintain viable individuals in the lab, having in mind that the occurrence of ovigerous females in the Mondego estuary is defined in location and season. Thereafter our objective is to: - Evaluate survival, egg development, and hatch success of ovigerous females at different temperatures (14, 18 and 22ºC), and salinities (10, 20 and 30‰); TASK 2 - Zootechnical performance and nutrition. It is essential at this stage to bring larval development to a successful recruitment. Therefore, our objectives are to: - Evaluate juvenile survival at different temperatures (14, 18 and 22ºC), and salinities (10, 20 and 30‰); - Perform a growth trial with the most favourable conditions from the previous trial to test shrimp tailor-made feed with varying levels of protein and lipid. TASK 3 - Osmorregulation and response to environmental parameters. Individuals from the two previous tasks will be sampled with the objective of: - Assess the osmoregulatory capacity endpoints on larvae and juveniles, by measuring hemolymph osmolality (i.e. total amount of osmolytes such as sodium, chloride, potassium) and sodium/potassium pump [Na+/K+-ATPase]; - Understand the role of salinity on innate immune system of C. crangon by evaluating suitable markers like phenoloxidase, lysozyme or antimicrobial peptides. TASK 4 - Metabolic fluxes for nutritional lipid profiles. Here the goal is to make use of previously developed NMR-based technologies using stable isotopes to uncover how one of the most relevant nutritional components are regulated by: - Quantifying the fractional synthetic rates of hepatopancreas fatty acids as well as characterizing patterns of lipid accumulation in muscle (edible) tissue in juveniles subjected to the different dietary treatments using deuterated water (2H2O). TASK 5 - Data processing and integration for knowledge transfer. This task, despite being defined as the final one, it actually runs throughout the duration of the project, with a very clear objective, to: - Process, share, integrate and transfer responsibly the results of the project, and if successful, evaluate the viability of an operation based on farming C. crangon. Besides all our scientific/technical objectives, the CRANG_ON team is deeply committed to recruit responsibly by providing a decent living wage in accordance with the candidates' skill set and formation. It is of the utmost importance to have our recruitment comply with the "Equality, Equity and Diversity Plan" of the University of Coimbra, while offering everybody involved an inclusive working environment.