Dissertation Research: Parasite Load Reduction Experiments in Sceloporus

9412159 IVES虽然疾病在许多自然动物种群中很常见，但很难记录它们对种群丰度的影响，因为它们的影响往往是微妙的，而且它们往往与控制种群密度的其他过程协同作用。本研究将调查两种类型的疾病对山刺蜥蜴种群的亚致死效应。自然种群中的动物将接受医学治疗，以治愈它们的肠道蠕虫寄生虫，疟疾，或两者兼而有之，并留下一组蜥蜴作为对照。随后，将测量它们的生长率、存活率和繁殖力。将对感染和未感染蜥蜴的生理性能进行进一步的研究。研究疾病对自然种群的影响很重要，因为疾病可能是许多濒危物种生存的主要障碍。

9412159 IVES Although diseases are common in many natural animal populations, it is very difficult to document their effects on population abundances because their effects are often subtle and they often act in concert with other processes controlling population densities. This study will investigate the sublethal effects of two types of disease on populations of mountain spiny lizards (Sceloperus jarrovii). Animals in the natural populations will be medically treated to cure them of intestinal worm parasites, malaria, or both with an additional group of lizards left as controls. Subsequently, their growth rate, survival, and fecundity will be measured. Additional studies will be conducted on the physiological performances of infected versus uninfected lizards. Studying the effects of disease in natural populations is important, because disease could be a major impediment to the survival of numerous endangered species.