Biodiversity and Infectious Disease Risk

最近的证据表明，寄主群落的生物多样性介导了寄生虫在人类和其他物种中的传播；然而，仔细的实地研究和对照实验是必要的，以了解这些相互作用的性质和后果。该项目通过实地研究和操纵实验，研究了引起鲑科旋转病的寄生虫脑粘虫（Myxobolus cerebralis）双宿主系统中生物多样性的影响。旋流病是由生活在河流沉积物中的蠕虫传染给鱼类的。蠕虫群落相对简单，由相互作用的分类群组成，它们与寄生虫相互作用的方式不同，传播寄生虫的能力也不同。因此，蠕虫群落结构有很大的潜力影响寄生虫向鱼类的传播。本项目有以下目标：(1)利用野外试验确定蠕虫类群的相对丰度和绝对丰度与鱼类疾病之间的统计相关性；(2)量化能够传播寄生虫的蠕虫类群内部和之间寄生虫传播的遗传变异数量；(3)在实验室实验中研究蠕虫类群之间的相互作用如何影响产生的寄生虫孢子数量，从而影响鱼类疾病；(4)利用目标(1)-(3)的数据建立统计模型来预测鱼类疾病风险。该项目更广泛的影响包括培训来自不同群体的高中、本科和研究生水平的学生，了解科学研究的气候、行为和文化。研究方法强调假设检验、一对一指导、多样性和包容性。通过互补的实地分析、可操作的实验和综合统计模型，社会效益得以显现，这些模型不仅可以用于发展生态理论，还可以用于基于研究的管理。

Recent evidence suggests that the biodiversity of host communities mediates the transmission of parasites in humans and other species; however, careful field studies and controlled experiments are necessary to understand the nature and consequences of these interactions. This project examines the influence of biodiversity in the two-host system of Myxobolus cerebralis, the parasite that causes salmonid whirling disease, using field studies and manipulative experiments. Whirling disease is transmitted to fish by stream sediment-dwelling worms. Worm communities are relatively simple and comprised of taxa that interact with each other, differ in the way in which they interact with the parasite, and differ in abilities to transmit the parasite. Thus, there is great potential for worm community structure to influence parasite transmission to fish. This project has the following goals: (1) determine statistical correlations between the relative and absolute abundances of the worm taxa and fish disease using field assays, (2) quantify the amount of genetic variation for parasite transmission within and among the worm taxa that can transmit the parasite, (3) examine how interactions among worm taxa affect the number of parasite spores produced, and thus fish disease, in laboratory experiments, and (4) develop statistical models to predict fish disease risk using data from goals (1)-(3). Broader impacts of this project include training high school, undergraduate and graduate level students from diverse groups in the climate, conduct and culture of scientific research. The research approach highlights hypothesis testing, one-on-one mentoring, diversity, and inclusion. Benefits to society emerge through the complementary field assays, manipulative experiments and synthetic statistical models that can be used not only to develop ecological theory, but also in research-based management.