Collaborative Proposal: The Behavioral and Ecological Effects of Viral Disease in Caribbean Spiny Lobster

尽管病毒在海洋系统中的生态后果可能是巨大的，但关于它们作为后生动物病原体的作用及其对宿主种群生态的影响的研究还处于初级阶段。病原体-宿主相互作用的一个很少被研究的领域是病原体对宿主群体中未感染成员的行为的影响，以及这种行为对宿主群体动态的后果。最近在佛罗里达群岛发现了一种感染加勒比海刺龙虾(Panulirus Argus)的致命性疱疹病毒。初步研究表明，这种疾病不仅改变了受感染个体的行为，而且还导致健康个体对患病同种疾病的社会行为发生显著变化。对疾病的行为反应对龙虾种群中病原体的空间结构、招募和传播具有潜在的深远影响。传统的捕捞方式也可能助长这种病原体的传播。该项目的目标是确定这种新发现的疾病目前的发病率、传播方式、行为和生态后果以及潜在的人口影响。具体地说，调查人员将：(1)扩大初步实地调查，以记录这种疾病在成体和幼体龙虾以及佛罗里达群岛其他潜在病毒宿主中的当前分布和流行情况。(2)通过实验室实验确定病原体是否通过接触、水传播颗粒或摄入感染组织在龙虾中传播，以及传播率是否受大小(年龄)、性别、条件或伤害的影响。(3)利用实验室实验和野外标记-重新捕获研究来测试疾病对龙虾行为、种群动态和空间结构的关键方面的影响，这些方面可能会影响疾病在这种群居动物中的传播。(4)开发和实施诊断免疫分析，以在疾病的早期阶段识别受感染的龙虾。(5)将目标1-3中获得的信息纳入空间上明确的、以个体为基础的龙虾招募模式，以确定未受感染的龙虾对受感染的同种龙虾的厌恶或龙虾渔业采用的做法是否会改变疾病的传播。

Although the ecological consequences of viruses in marine systems are potentially enormous, studies of their role as pathogens of metazoans and their effects on host population ecology are in their infancy. A poorly explored area of pathogen-host interactions is the effect of pathogens on the behavior of uninfected members of the host population, and the consequences of such behavior on host population dynamics. A lethal, pathogenic herpes-like virus that infects Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) has recently been discovered in the Florida Keys. Preliminary studies indicate that this disease not only alters the behavior of infected individuals, but also causes remarkable changes in the social behavior of healthy individuals in response to diseased conspecifics. Behavioral responses to disease have potentially far reaching repercussions for the spatial structure, recruitment, and transmission of pathogens in lobster populations. Traditional fishing practices may also contribute to the spread of this pathogen. The goal of this project is to determine the current incidence, mode of transmission, behavioral and ecological consequences, and potential population-level impacts of this newly discovered disease. Specifically, the investigators will: (1) Expand preliminary field surveys to document the current distribution and prevalence of this disease in adult and juvenile lobsters, as well as in other potential viral reservoirs in the Florida Keys. (2) Determine through laboratory experiments whether the pathogen is transmitted among lobsters by contact, water-borne particles, or ingestion of infected tissue, and whether transmission rates are affected by size (age), gender, condition, or injury. (3) Use laboratory experiments and field mark-recapture studies to test the effect of the disease on pivotal aspects of lobster behavior, population dynamics, and spatial structure that may influence the spread of the disease in this gregarious animal. (4) Develop and implement a diagnostic immunological assay to identify infected lobsters during the early stages of the disease. (5) Incorporate the information obtained in Objectives 1 - 3 into a spatially-explicit, individual-based lobster recruitment model to determine if the aversion of uninfected lobsters to infected conspecifics, or practices employed in the lobster fishery, alter the spread of the disease.