Methodological design to study the effects of heatwaves on natural plankton communities from Mediterranean vulnerable ecosystems

The approach targets on entire plankton communities, from bacteria to zooplankton, integrates laboratory experiments and field monitoring activities and combines classical techniques with molecular tools to capture changes in biodiversity, food web size-structure and the occurrence of potentially pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We selected two diverse aquatic ecosystems in the western Mediterranean as case studies: an artificial lake, an important source for drinking water and a coastal lagoon vital for fishery, both of high ecological and economic importance.