NSF Org:	DEB Division Of Environmental Biology
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT & STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
Initial Amendment Date:	May 2, 2001
Latest Amendment Date:	May 2, 2001
Award Number:	0089096
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	James T. Morris DEB  Division Of Environmental Biology BIO  Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	April 15, 2001
End Date:	March 31, 2004 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$120,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$120,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2001 = $120,000.00
History of Investigator:	Joseph Schall (Principal Investigator) jschall@zoo.uvm.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of Vermont & State Agricultural College 85 S PROSPECT STREET BURLINGTON VT  US  05405-1704 (802)656-3660
Sponsor Congressional District:	00
Primary Place of Performance:	University of Vermont & State Agricultural College 85 S PROSPECT STREET BURLINGTON VT  US  05405-1704
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	00
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	Z94KLERAG5V9
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	POP & COMMUNITY ECOL PROG, LONG-TERM RSCH IN ENVIR BIO, EPSCoR Co-Funding
Primary Program Source:	01000102DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT app-0401
Program Reference Code(s):	1306, 9150, 9169, EGCH
Program Element Code(s):	118200, 119600, 915000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.074

ABSTRACT

0089096
Schall
This LTREB project will continue long-term studies on the ecology and evolutionary biology of malaria parasites of lizards. These studies take place at sites in California and the Caribbean. The systems have been under study for the past 9 to 22 years. Three interwoven studies will be pursued that all depend on the long-term data and blood samples obtained during the study. The first study will address parasite prevalence. Prevalence patterns at all four sites do not follow predictions emerging from standard epidemiological models for malaria. These differences are explained by the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. The second study focuses on life-history traits. Infections in all four lizard species vary significantly in all their life history traits. In this case, two traits will be studied maximum parasitemia and first production of gametocytes. The clonal diversity and stress hypotheses will be tested with additional long-term data. Finally, the project will assess gametocyte sex ratio. The local mate competition hypothesis predicts that gametocyte sex ratios within infections will depend on the genetic diversity of those infections. Two mechanisms related to this hypothesis will be investigated. Together these three foci will expand our understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of host-parasite ecology. Results from this project have direct and important implications for understanding the natural history and ecology of emerging infectious diseases that affect animal populations, including humans.

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