Dissertation Research: Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics of the Dilution Effect

论文研究：稀释效应的生态进化动力学

• 批准号: 1406846
• 负责人: Spencer Hall
• 金额: $ 2.02万
• 依托单位: Indiana University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-06-01 至 2017-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1406846&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Eco; Evolutionary; Dynamics

One surprising effect of biological diversity can be to reduce the spread of disease: infection of one host species may be lower in the presence of other host species. This ?dilution effect? is typically seen when the species are similar enough that they compete for resources such as food. The net effect of species diversity then depends on whether diversity reduces infection more than it decreases the availability of resources. This project will investigate the dilution effect using artificial communities of two zooplankton, algae they both eat, and a fungus that infects one of the zooplankton more readily than the other. Previous work with these communities showed that the net effect of the less susceptible zooplankton on the more susceptible one depended on genetic diversity: the higher the genetic diversity of the more susceptible zooplankton, the more beneficial the presence of the less susceptible one. This suggests that rapid evolution of the susceptible zooplankton was required for the dilution effect to operate. Research will now measure how the genetic makeup of the susceptible zooplankton changes as competition and infection proceed, and how the genetic changes result in changes in the traits of the zooplankton to create a dilution effect. Results should increase understanding both of how ecology and evolution can affect each other and how biodiversity can counter disease. The broader impacts of this research include applications to control of disease in wildlife and in humans. Dilution effects may be important in serious diseases such as Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Hantavirus, and schistosomiasis. The project will also provide research experience for undergraduate researchers including members of underrepresented groups.

生物多样性的一个令人惊讶的影响可能是减少疾病的传播：在存在其他宿主物种时，一种宿主物种的感染可能较低。这个吗?稀释效应?当物种足够相似，它们会竞争食物等资源时，就会出现这种现象。因此，物种多样性的净效应取决于多样性减少感染的程度是否大于减少资源的可用性。该项目将利用两种浮游动物、它们都吃的藻类和一种更容易感染其中一种浮游动物的真菌的人工群落来研究稀释效应。先前对这些群落的研究表明，不易受影响的浮游动物对易受影响的浮游动物的净效应取决于遗传多样性：易受影响的浮游动物的遗传多样性越高，不易受影响的浮游动物的存在就越有益。这表明，稀释效应的发生需要易感浮游动物的快速进化。研究人员现在将测量易受影响的浮游动物的基因组成如何随着竞争和感染的进行而变化，以及遗传变化如何导致浮游动物特征的变化，从而产生稀释效应。研究结果将增进人们对生态和进化如何相互影响以及生物多样性如何对抗疾病的理解。这项研究的更广泛影响包括在野生动物和人类疾病控制方面的应用。稀释效应在莱姆病、西尼罗河病毒、汉坦病毒和血吸虫病等严重疾病中可能很重要。该项目还将为本科生研究人员提供研究经验，包括代表性不足的群体的成员。