Anthropogenic disturbance, invasive species, and parasite dynamics

Mosquitoes are reviled as nuisance biters and vectors of deadly parasites. But, like every other organism, they also have their own parasites. Our group has been using one of these parasites, colloquially known as gregarines (Ascogregarina spp.) to ask basic questions in disease ecology such as how projected increases in temperature and the presence of invasive species impact the dynamics of these gregarines in their mosquito hosts.

This is a very tractable system; we are able to perform both laboratory and field manipulations and experimental infections. This system has also been very fruitful for undergraduate and high school students to get their feet wet and conduct independent experiments in a manner of weeks.

We are currently investigating the role of larval predation and competition, artificial light at night (ALAN), and the presence of invasive amur honeysuckle on parasite infection.