Climate change has led to an unprecedented increase in ocean temperature and extreme heat periods. Decapod crustaceans, such as crabs and lobsters, are keystone species with massive impact on coastal ecosystems, and live in the most affected habitats. However, we know very little about how the crustacean nervous system, as the ultimate driver of their behavior, copes with climate change. My project tests how adaptive the crustacean nervous system is to changing temperature conditions. Together with the RESPONSE/ECRA programs in Greifswald, I will use neurophysiological recordings in invasive crabs from various European temperature habitats, including the Baltic Sea. A 2^nd aim is to test how genetic diversity affects the response of nervous systems to climate change, using a highly invasive crayfish species of genetic clones. The project will provide a unique perspective on the impact of climate change on decapod crustaceans, and help us understand how abiotic factors alter nervous system functioning.

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