David Thieltges

David Thieltges is an Honorary Professor of Marine Parasite Ecology at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Science and Engineering and a Senior Scientist at the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. His research focuses on understanding the ecological roles of parasites in marine ecosystems, including their effects on host populations, communities, and food webs. Key areas include parasite responses to climate change, species invasions, and biodiversity-driven disease risks. He also studies large-scale patterns of parasitism using macroecological approaches.

Thieltges teaches marine biology and ecology courses at the University of Groningen. He holds editorial roles at journals like Marine Biology Research and the Journal of the Marine Biological Association UK. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life below water and sustainable cities.

Recent research highlights include studies on temperature effects of invasive copepods on mussels, predation risk impacts on parasite-host interactions, and parasite distribution dynamics in the Wadden Sea. His findings emphasize the importance of parasites as integral components of marine ecosystems, influencing biodiversity and ecosystem health.

• Key Projects: Investigating parasite invasions, climate change effects on marine parasites, and Wadden Sea ecology.
• Awards: 2023 Petersen Excellence Professorship for marine parasite ecology contributions.
• Labs/Teams: Leads the Thieltges Lab focused on Marine Parasite Ecology.