9707610 Levin An important process shaping the ecology of any organisms in nature is coevolution, the evolutionary interplay among distinct species. Understanding coevolution requires mathematical and computer models to describe how interactions among species change over long time intervals; yet the construction and analysis of such models is rarely possible because of inadequate understanding of the biological processes, and the complexity of the mathematical description. Empirical work by the investigators, however, has produced useful short-term models of interactions between insects and their pathogens, and mathematical breakthroughs in the PI's lab have greatly simplified long term coevolutionary models. In this research, the investigators will apply these advances to understanding how host-pathogen interactions, especially in insects, are affected by the coevolution of host and pathogen. Because insects are important agricultural pests, and because pathogens are important natural means of pest control, the research will have direct and important environmental applications.
