CAREER: Animal Migrations and Infectious Disease Dynamics: Monarch Butterfiles as a Global Case Study

职业：动物迁徙和传染病动态：帝王蝶作为全球案例研究

• 批准号: 0643831
• 负责人: Sonia Altizer
• 金额: $ 67.95万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-02-01 至 2013-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0643831&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Animal; Migrations; Infectious; Disease

This project examines how long-distance animal migrations affect the transmission of infectious diseases, using monarch butterflies and a protozoan parasite as a model system. Monarchs inhabit islands and continents worldwide and are best known for undertaking a spectacular migration in parts of North America. Parasites occur in all monarch populations examined to date and prevalence is highest in populations that breed year round and do not migrate. The investigator will conduct field studies to compare contemporary infection rates within and between multiple migratory and non-migratory monarch populations. A citizen science project, MonarchHealth, will involve volunteer observers to help track infected butterflies in N. America. Mathematical models and laboratory experiments will be developed to evaluate hypothesized mechanisms that could account for lower infection rates in migratory populations, including: host escape from contaminated habitats, costs of infection and immune defenses for monarch flight ability, and evolutionary changes in host resistance and parasite virulence. Studying this migratory butterfly-parasite system will provide insights for effects of migration on the health of other animal species, including how human activities that alter host migratory patterns can affect pathogen spread. Proposed training activities include courses in the biology of infectious diseases and promoting environmental literacy among non-science majors at the University of Georgia. Because monarchs have captured the imagination of the public, the investigator will engage in outreach efforts that involve students and public citizens in science. These activities include a citizen science project, interactions with natural history centers and local teachers' groups, and developing a website to disseminate information on monarch butterfly parasites to the general public.

该项目以帝王蝶和一种原生动物寄生虫为模型系统，研究动物长途迁徙如何影响传染病的传播。帝王蝶栖息在世界各地的岛屿和大陆上，以在北美部分地区进行壮观的迁徙而闻名。寄生虫发生在所有的君主人口研究的日期和流行率是最高的人口，全年繁殖，不迁移。研究人员将进行实地研究，以比较多个移民和非移民君主人口内和之间的当代感染率。一个名为“君主健康”的公民科学项目将邀请志愿观察员帮助追踪N.美国参考将开发数学模型和实验室实验，以评估假设的机制，可以解释较低的感染率在迁移人口，包括：主机逃离污染的栖息地，感染和免疫防御君主飞行能力的成本，以及主机的抗性和寄生虫毒力的进化变化。研究这种迁移性蝴蝶寄生虫系统将为迁移对其他动物物种健康的影响提供见解，包括改变宿主迁移模式的人类活动如何影响病原体传播。拟议的培训活动包括在格鲁吉亚大学开设传染病生物学课程和促进非理科专业学生的环境素养。由于君主已经抓住了公众的想象力，调查人员将从事外展工作，让学生和公众参与科学。这些活动包括一个公民科学项目，与自然历史中心和当地教师团体的互动，以及开发一个网站，向公众传播关于帝王蝶寄生虫的信息。