CAREER: Experimental Analyses Relating Host Contact and Parasite Community Structure

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This work supports an integrated research and education effort that aims to (1) better understand interactions between parasitic organisms and their hosts and (2) train students to address the depth and complexity of wildlife disease issues. Parasites can dramatically influence populations of organisms, and indirectly influence entire communities or even ecosystems. How changes in the behavior and ecology of hosts influence the parasites of individual animals as well as entire populations is poorly understood. This project supports a study of several common wildlife species that addresses how changes to the environment that result in animals coming into contact with one another influence the likelihood that these animals will become infected with parasitic species, including parasites of economic and public health importance.The education component of the study focuses on better integration of the fields of ecology and health sciences. This will be accomplished by (1) training students in ecological parasitology, (2) the creation of a consortium for studying wildlife diseases amongst currently existing programs at the University of Missouri, and 3) structuring a system of internships for undergraduate and graduate students to become involved in research in disease ecology.