SG: The macroecology of parasites of invasive host species

植物和动物物种的分布可能由于两个自然原因或由于人类协助引入新的地区而发生变化。这项研究使用了一个大型的全球数据库，该数据库记录了哺乳动物及其寄生虫的发生情况，以确定不同物种在引入新地区时获得和丢失的寄生虫的种类。这项研究探索了环境因素和寄生虫的特征(它们是如何传播的，或者它们是否专门针对宿主)如何解释它们是保留、丢失还是新获得的。这项研究将使研究人员能够预测寄生虫和宿主物种之间的新联系，这对保护科学、公共卫生和食品工业很重要。这项研究计划将培训本科生、研究生和学校教师使用现有的数据库和计算软件来解决紧迫的生态问题。这项研究的目标是使用全球哺乳动物寄生虫数据库和其他数据来源来检查哺乳动物和它们的寄生虫宿主在引入新的地理区域后的联系。将开发统计和建模方法，以理清气候相似性、系统发育兼容性和寄生虫特征(传播方式、专门化程度和流行率)的作用，以解释引入哺乳动物的寄生虫的丧失和获得。这项工作通过探索促进物种对之间密切联系的因素，解决了群落和疾病生态学中的一个基本问题。鉴于这项研究的地理范围和所研究的介绍的广度，这项研究的结果将为评估由于引入的宿主及其寄生虫的重新分布而出现的动物和人类传染病的风险提供一个全球背景。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The distribution of plant and animal species may change due to both natural causes, or due to human-assisted introductions to new areas. This research uses a large global database that documents the occurrence of mammals and their parasites to determine the kinds of parasites that are gained and lost by different species as they are introduced to new areas. This study explores how environmental factors and the traits of parasites (how they are transmitted or whether they specialize on a host) may explain whether they are retained, lost, or newly acquired. This study will allow researchers to anticipate new associations between parasites and host species, which is important to conservation science, public health, and the food industry. This research program will train undergraduate and graduate students and school teachers in the use of existing databases and computational software for addressing pressing ecological questions.The goal of this study is to use the Global Mammal Parasite Database and other data sources to examine the association of mammals and their parasitic hosts following their introductions into novel geographic areas. Statistical and modeling approaches to disentangle the role of climatic similarity, phylogenetic compatibility, and parasite traits (transmission mode, level of specialization and prevalence) will be developed to explain the loss and gain of parasites by introduced mammals. This work addresses a fundamental question in community and disease ecology by exploring the factors that promote the intimate associations between species pairs. Given the geographic scope of this study and breadth of introductions examined, the results of this research will provide a global context for assessing the risk of emerging infectious diseases of animals and humans due to the redistribution of introduced hosts and their parasites.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.