Losses due to predation are recognized as an important factor affecting shellfish stocks, restoration efforts and aquaculture production. Managing and mitigating the impact of predators require information on the population dynamics and functional responses to prey availability under varying environmental conditions. Asterias spp. are well-known keystone predators with the capacity to exert a top down control on shellfish populations. Asterias spp. populations are extremely plastic, booming fast when prey is abundant and exhibiting a remarkable individual resilience to starvation and adverse environmental conditions. These aspects have led Asterias spp. to be considered pests by shellfish producers and fishers and to be catalogued among the most devastating invasive species. Assessment and mitigation of the impact of Asterias rubens in northern Europe have been the objective of several projects. However, there is still a limited understanding of the processes behind A. rubens population plasticity and how environmental conditions affect individual growth and predation. Under these circumstances a comprehensive eco-physiological model becomes necessary. These models can integrate available information on biology and eco-physiology to gain understanding of the effect of the environmental conditions on the impact of A. rubens.

In this work, we performed a number of eco-physiological experiments and combined them with field data from a Danish estuary to estimate and validate the parameters of a dynamic energy budget (DEB) model for the whole life cycle of A. rubens. DEB models can be used to assess the effects of environmental variability on the life cycle and key population traits allowing the prediction of the performance, abundance, resource requirements and potential distribution of individuals and populations under dynamic environments. As such the DEB model presented in this study aims to become a tool to be used to assess and manage the impact of A. rubens in cultured and natural shellfish populations. The successfully parameterised DEB model describes A. rubens as a plastic species, an efficient predator with low maintenance costs and, at least while feeding on mussels, a high energy yield from its prey. The model validation against independent data resulted in the model being capable to assess growth, food demand, reproductive output and reserves dynamics of A. rubens under experimental and natural conditions. Moreover, application of the model to the Limfjorden seastar fishery is used to further discuss the use of the model to understand biology and ecology of this pest species in the context with the management of shellfish stocks and impact mitigation.

捕食造成的损失被认为是影响贝类种群，恢复努力和水产养殖产量的重要因素。要管理和减轻捕食者的影响，就需要有关种群动态以及在变化的环境条件下对猎物可用性的功能性响应的信息。Asterias spp。是著名的基石捕食者，能够对贝类种群进行自上而下的控制。Asterias spp 。种群具有极强的可塑性，当猎物丰富时会迅速发展，并且对饥饿和不利的环境条件表现出显着的个体应变能力。这些方面导致了Asterias spp 。被贝类生产者和渔民视为害虫，并被列为最具破坏性的入侵物种。评估和缓解北欧甜菜在北欧的影响一直是几个项目的目标。但是，对红曲霉种群可塑性的背后过程以及环境条件如何影响个体的生长和捕食仍然知之甚少。在这种情况下，有必要建立一个全面的生态生理模型。这些模型可以整合有关生物学和生态生理学的可用信息，以了解环境条件对红曲霉的影响。

在这项工作中，我们进行了许多生态生理实验，并将其与丹麦河口的实地数据相结合，以估计和验证整个芦苇生命周期动态能量收支（DEB）模型的参数。DEB模型可用于评估环境变异性对生命周期和关键种群特征的影响，从而可以预测动态环境下个体和种群的性能，丰度，资源需求和潜在分布。因此，本研究中提出的DEB模型旨在成为一种工具，用于评估和管理红曲霉对养殖和天然贝类种群的影响。成功的参数化DEB模型描述了红曲霉作为一种塑料物种，它是一种高效的捕食者，维护成本低，并且至少在捕食贻贝的情况下，捕食者的能量产出高。针对独立数据进行的模型验证使该模型能够评估在实验和自然条件下红景天的生长，粮食需求，生殖产量和储藏动态。此外，该模型在林菲约登海星渔业中的应用被用于进一步讨论该模型在了解贝类种群和减轻影响的背景下了解该害虫物种的生物学和生态学的用途。