This research investigates the response of parasites to the diversification of their chipmunk hosts across temporally and spatially variable environments in western North America. Chipmunks are frequently infected with externally-parasitic sucking lice and internally-parasitic pinworms. It is unclear if parasite lineages are restricted to individual chipmunk species and diversifying in tandem with the host lineages (codiversification), or if they are adapted to a resource shared among chipmunks and thus can infect any species of chipmunk they encounter. This project tests for codiversification among each parasite and the hosts and investigates the role of climate in determining parasite distribution and diversity. The research uses a combination of geographic mapping and genetic sequencing techniques to determine the influence of climate, geography, and species associations in evolutionary diversification.
An integrated view of the evolutionary history of hosts and parasites has wide-ranging implications, including consequences of climate change on pathogens and parasites. Beyond the current interest in biotic responses to climate change, studying host-parasite associations allows for testing of foundational coevolutionary rules and hypotheses. This research will provide training for undergraduate and graduate students in field, museum, and molecular lab research. Additionally, this project will feed into an effort to integrate museum specimens and databases into undergraduate courses through inquiry-driven student projects that raise awareness of the value of natural history collections. Through this research, students will be introduced to cutting-edge analytical and collaborative approaches in bioinformatics. Chipmunks are familiar, highly visible, and provide a gateway to conversations with school groups, the public, and others about conservation, evolution, and parasites.
