- Friday, May 3, 2019
- 1:30 PM–2:30 PM
- Science Building 010 ("The Pit")
Guest Speaker: Clay Cressler- University of Nebraska- Lincoln
Taylor’s law, which has been described as one of the only general laws in parasitology, describes the observation that parasite distributions within a host population are typically aggregated, with most hosts having only a few parasites, and some having many. This pattern has attracted considerable empirical and theoretical attention. Here, I examine the historical distribution of parasites among fish hosts in Nebraska, showing that the pattern cannot be explained in terms of simple null models. I then propose a novel model for explaining Taylor’s law that relies on Allee effects. I show that these effects are inherent to the host-parasite interaction, and generate realistic variation in infection duration as well as the classic patterns described by Taylor’s law.
We welcome all to join us for this BIO295 seminar. Please contact Erika Purcell-Williams (eap2@calvin.edu) with any further questions.
