US-UK Cooperative Research: Evolutionary Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions

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This award will support collaborative research in systematic biology between Dr. Janice Moore, Colorado State University and two British scientists: Dr. Paul Harvey, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, and Dr. D.W.T. Crompton, Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow. The objective of the research is to develop and use phylogenetic techniques to examine the role of host evolution in parasite-host interactions. The evolution of parasite-host interactions has been approached from the standpoint of host benefit (e.g. resistance to parasites) and parasite benefit (e.g. manipulation of host behavior), but has not been addressed from a phylogenetic perspective. In a set of strictly comparable behavioral experiments, Dr. Moore is currently examining the effect of the acanthocephalan, Moniliformis, on the behavior of ten species of related cockroaches. During a long term research visit at Oxford University, Dr Moore will extend analytical techniques developed there to host-parasite phenomena and will investigate the role of host phylogeny in parasite- induced behavioral alterations. During a subsequent research stay at the University of Glasgow, Dr. Moore will quantify degrees of resistance to the parasite exhibited by these same host species and apply the same techniques to elucidate the contribution, if any, of host phylogeny to parasite resistance. During this research year, Dr. Moore will be able to interact with major figures in the area of evolutionary biology, ethology, parasite ecology and parasite resistance, and to extend comparative analytical techniques developed for free- living taxa to host-parasite interactions. This will be the first quantitative step towards placing these phenomena in a predictive, evolutionary frame.