Research projects are listed below starting with the most current:
The effects of island biogeography on invertebrate diversity in the Pantepui. Venezuela
This work aims to study insect diversity in a patchy and isolated environment in an attempt to explain the distribution of insect species. This will be accomplished through use of biodiversity indices and careful sampling of the habitat involved.
Data will be analysed in the context of the biogeography theory (MacArthur and Wilson, 1967) to find how the vegetation, island size, island isolation and island abiotic factors all combine to influence species distributions and diversity.
Maternal effects and their influence on offspring health and fitness. Hampshire, England
This work is funded by the Game Conservancy Trust and the BBSRC and I am working with Emma Cunningham to investigate the effects of maternal investment on long term offspring health. As this is part of the "Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering" PhD scheme I am working with an industrial partner (GCT) to investigate these effects in wild game bird systems, particularly partridges.
Currently I am investigating the effects of maternally derived immunity on the development and efficacy of a neonates immune system to a novel antigen. More specifically I will be using the CoxAbic vaccine (based on wall forming bodies of Eimeria maxima) and Freund's complete adjuvant to stimulate a maternal response, and then see how this affects offspring immune profiles and survival.
Molecular characterisation of parasites of gemsbok. Edinburgh, Scotland
Following collection of parasites from Sanbona (see below) I attempted to use molecular techniques to "barcode" unidentifiable samples in order to get a general idea of what parasite families were present.
This study looked at the major clades within the Platyhelminthes and Nematoda using 18s and 28s ribosomal RNS data sets supplemented with parasites of Oryx gazella and Sylvicapra grimmia. However attempts at amplification of formalin preserved samples were unsuccessful despite trialling numerous DNA extraction protocols and attempting to optimise PCR conditions to maximise yield. This is due to the effects of long term formalin fixation on DNA structure.
It was, however, possible to obtain new sequence data for Aspiculuris muris, Schistosoma mansoni, Eurycestus avoceti and Ananotaenia microphallus. These sequences were used to build phylogenies and assess the validity of the major groups within the phyla and to draw conclusions about the evolution of parasitism. Within the Platyhelminthes the Revertospermata and Cercomeromorphae were not supported, but the R(K,T,P) clade (Rhadocoels, Kronborgia, triclads, prolecithophorans) and INUK clade (Ichthyophaga, Notentera, Urastoma, and Kronborgia) were. Contrary to earlier studies the Monogenea and Proseriata did not resolve as monophyletic groups, but there was little support for this and more robust studies are needed. The nematode clade III was maintained and most taxa resolved together as expected. The data point to the evolution of parasitism in the platyhelminths through 2 stages of commensalism, using the host as an external, and then internal epizoic feeding platform, before becoming tissue feeders. Within the nematodes the data illustrate the progress of parasitism from invertebrate hosts to fish to mammals as a radiation from the most basal taxa often retaining the previous host as an intermediate lifecycle stage.
Parasites of Oryx gazella and Sylvicapra grimmia. South Africa
The number and species of helminth parasites, and the species of arthropod ectoparasites from four gemsbok (Oryx gazella) and three grey duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) were recorded as well as pasture contamination studies wherever possible. Six genera of nematode were recovered and four species identified, by far the most numerous of these was Trichostrongylus ruthiger. Cysticercae were also recovered from the mesenteries of gemsbok and grey duiker a further two species of helminth were recovered, one from gemsbok and the other from duiker, but these are as yet unidentified. Only two genera of ticks were recovered, Rhipicephalus sp. and Ixodes sp., with Rhipicephalus gertrudae being the most common, and found most often on the ear and flanks. The remaining species included Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus and Ixodes rubicundus. An as yet unidentified species of Lipoptena and lice were also recovered. This project was funded by the Weir Fund for Field Studies and the James Rennie Bequest.