NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

整合行为学、工程学和数学：将现代网络理论应用于寄生虫的社会传播对寄生虫传播和社交网络的理解存在差距，这是由于1）缺乏实验2）难以获得社会互动的准确测量和3）与网络的强大统计比较相关的分析挑战。 本研究涉及描述社交网络在谷仓燕子（Hirundo rustica）使用数字收发器设备的特点属于独立的亚群个体之间的精细规模的社会互动。 寄生虫将通过实验从每个网络的一半个体中去除，并在稍后进行采样，以测量直接传播的寄生虫相对于社交网络属性的传播，该社交网络属性是基于标记群体成员之间的数字记录的接触率计算的。 第二个实验将通过改变宿主腹侧羽毛的颜色来操纵网络，而不是寄生虫，这是一种已知会影响生理和社会行为的特征。在寄生虫传播的背景下，越来越多的人认识到个体水平的异质性在宿主行为中的重要性，这种实验方法是了解社会网络措施对寄生虫传播的相对贡献以及了解形态学和生理学特征如何影响社交网络中的位置的有力途径。 出于本科研究和教育的职业目标，科罗拉多大学博尔德分校的本科生参与这项研究是一个高度优先事项，特别是参与该领域通常代表性不足的学生。 该研究将通过建立应用数学与生态学和进化生物学部门之间的合作来加强大学的基础设施。 与该项目相关的推广包括通过燕子监测计划与公民科学家合作。

Integrating behavior, engineering and mathematics: Applying modern network theory to social transmission of parasitesGaps in the understanding of parasite transmission and social networks exist due to 1) lack of experimentation 2) difficulty obtaining accurate measures of social interactions and 3) analytical challenges associated with robust statistical comparisons of networks. This research involves describing social networks in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) using digital transceiver devices to characterize fine-scale social interactions among individuals belonging to independent subpopulations. Parasites will be experimentally removed from half the individuals per network and sampled later to measure recolonization of directly transmitted parasites relative to social network properties calculated based on digitally recorded contact rates between members of the tagged populations. A second experiment will manipulate the network rather than the parasites, through alteration of host ventral plumage color, a trait known to affect physiology and social behavior. There is growing recognition of the importance of individual-level heterogeneity in host behavior in the context of parasite transmission, and this experimental approach is a powerful way to understand relative contributions of social network measure on parasite transmission as well as understanding how features of morphology and physiology influence position in social networks. Motivated by career goals in undergraduate research and education, the inclusion of University of Colorado-Boulder undergraduate students in this research is a high priority, especially participation by students typically underrepresented in the field. The research will enhance the University's infrastructure by establishing collaboration between the Applied Math and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology departments. Outreach associated with this project includes working with citizen scientists through the Swallow Surveillance program.