Interactions between species, such as hosts and their parasites, have long been implicated as a means of generating biological diversity. However, evolution acts primarily within and among populations, and the relationship of these evolutionary forces to species diversity are not well understood. This research tests whether specific evolutionary processes generate diversity of parasites. The research focuses on the early stages of diversification, because the larger-scale evolutionary patterns are well known (parasites are highly specialized on host genotypes and populations), but little is known about the diversification that underlies them. Molecular genetic markers will be used to identify host lineages, and a lab experiment will test how adaptation of a parasite to one host lineage affects its ability to adapt to other lineages and so may cause or constrain diversification of parasites.
A major question in evolutionary biology is whether processes that generate evolutionary change within species ultimately contribute to larger-scale biological diversity. This proposal tests whether evolutionary processes operating on parasite populations are associated with a parasite?s specialization to its hosts. Evolutionary diversification of populations is the first step in generating biological diversity at higher levels. The research will provide insights into one of the main puzzles of evolution: how population-level processes generate species-level biological diversity? This project also provides opportunities for undergraduates to gain direct experience in scientific research and includes several public outreach initiatives.
