Explores the variation of a bacteria prevalence in mosquito populations, aiming to understand its effects on host traits and community dynamics through field surveys and microbial profiling.
- Prevalence Variation: Investigates differences in Wolbachia levels among mosquito populations.
- Life-History Effects: Examines how Wolbachia influences host life-history traits.
- Community Dynamics: Analyzes the impact of Wolbachia on mosquito vector capacity and interactions.
Description
Prevalence of Wolbachia in mosquito hosts varies greatly between populations and across species. It is not well understood why this variation exists, what mechanisms may explain this variation, what effects this variation may have on life-history traits of the host, or how this variation influences the outcomes of community dynamics including vectorial capacity. To address these questions, GEMS trainee Becky Cloud will conduct a field survey to determine the spatial distribution of Wolbachia and conduct microbial community profiling in established and newly invasive mosquito populations across a latitudinal gradient in Illinois.
