Dissertation Research: Host Movement and Disease Dynamics: Interactions between Monarch Butterflies and a Protozoan Parasite

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

9700916 Alstad In natural populations, disease spread is likely to be affected by ecological, environmental, and genetic factors. Many groups of animals have seasonal migrations, which may strongly affect host-parasite interactions. This research examines interactions between monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, and an obligate protozoan parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha. Three populations of North American monarchs exhibit varying degrees of migratory behavior, providing a unique opportunity to examine how geographic variation in disease prevalence relates to host movement patterns. For these populations, disease incidence is inversely related to host migratory distance. A non-migratory population in southern Florida shows 100% infection, the western migratory population is 60% infected, and the eastern migratory population, which travels the farthest distance, is less than 10% infected. This study will examine how population variation in disease prevalence is affected by host movement behavior, environmental differences between sites, and genetic factors related to host susceptibility or pathogen virulence. This study will produce data important for the conservation of monarchs, which have been threatened in recent years by habitat destruction at many overwintering sites. It will also improve understanding of how parasites interact with their hosts.