Schistosomiasis afflicts 200 million people and is responsible for 200,000 deaths per year. The infection is caused by a digenean trematode in the genus Schistosoma. The parasite must cycle through both a vertebrate (human) and invertebrate (snail) host to complete the life cycle. My dissertation focuses on the genetic mechanisms...
Translating research advances to natural systems using experimental laboratory studies is often difficult because of the variability between the natural environment and experimental conditions. Because environmental conditions have a large effect on an organism's physiology, responses to stressors like nutrient limitation, temperature, oxygen deprivation, predation, and parasite/pathogen infection are likely...
Resistance of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata to the trematode Schistosoma mansoni is correlated with allelic variation at copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (sod1). We tested whether there is a fitness cost associated with carrying the most resistant allele in three outbred laboratory populations of snails. These three populations were derived from the...
The matrisome is an ensemble of genes that are highly relevant for characterizing the behavior of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during the onset and progression of many diseases. Recent advances in the definition of the matrisome, such as The Matrisome Project, have been instrumental in making more advanced resources available...
At a time of rapid global change, a socio-ecological system (SES) approach can provide a framework through which to quantify and communicate the risks and uncertainties of coupled human-natural systems. Islands, and tropical coral reef islands in particular, can be excellent models for SES research since they may be considered...
Background:
New strategies to combat the global scourge of schistosomiasis may be revealed by increased understanding of the mechanisms by which the obligate snail host can resist the schistosome parasite. However, few molecular markers linked to resistance have been identified and characterized in snails.
Methodology/Principal Findings:
Here we test six...
During the Late Pre-Hispanic period, settlements in Northern Highland Ecuador were organized under a number of chiefdoms. While a basic hierarchical political system is described in the ethnohistoric literature, the nature of the interactions between specific settlements has remained unknown. This study utilizes two methods for describing the degree and...
Mangroves are becoming increasingly recognized as important nursery habitats for many juvenile fish and macroinvertebrate species, however little is known about their importance for zooplankton communities. The complex structure of mangrove environments may provide zooplankton populations with shelter, substrate, food, and protection from depredation. These factors could impact zooplankton survival,...
Full Text:
trap was filtered through 220 (m mesh in the cod-end at the end of the sampling period. The remaining
Sites in need of restoration typically have one or more environmental factors that limit seedling establishment; identifying ecophysiological responses to environmental stressors can be advantageous in growing seedlings able to overcome such constraints on survival. To maximize survival after outplanting, seedlings should be grown in a manner that considers both...