Biodiversity and Infectious Disease Risk

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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.