Paradyse Blackwood, Ph.D.
Trained Disease Ecologist, passionate about global change biology
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Daphnia dentifera
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Daphnia lumholtzi
1/ The influence of parasites on species invasions in Daphnia species
The goal of the study was to understand how the size and timing of epidemics in native species caused by a generalist parasite influenced the success and impact of an invasive species. I focused on North American native and invasive species of zooplankton (Daphnia dentifera and Daphnia lumholtzi, respectively), that can both become infected with a fungal parasite (Metschnikowia bicuspidata).
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Questions:
1) Does the severity of an epidemic in a native species influence the success of an invasive species?
2) Does the timing of the introduction of an invasive species during an epidemic influence its success?
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Oecologia Publication link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-023-05444-4
2/ Interactive effects of temperature variability and pollution on parasite susceptibility in tadpoles
The goal of this experiment was to understand how host-parasite interactions are affected by the interactive effects of multiple environmental stressors, focusing on a freshwater amphibian species, their parasites, and some common stressors (road salt and variable temps). All data has been analyzed and the manuscript will be submitted soon!
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Questions:
1) How does temperature and road salt pollution interact to affect disease susceptibility and development in larval amphibians?
2) How do fluctuating temperatures and road salt pollution affect multi-parasite infections?
Here is a photo of the tank setup from the experiment. Here the small dots are tadpoles and they are being exposed to sublethal salt (NaCl) and temperature.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis sporangia and zoospores
Echinostome species parasites. Image via the Aquatic Parasite Observatory.
3/ Interactive effects of temperature variability and pollution on amphibian parasites
The goal of this study is to understand how variable temperatures and salt affect trematode parasites and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and their interactions with each other other. This information is vital to understand how the changing environment will affect how parasites transmit to hosts, how infection rates may change, and parasite survival.
4/ How land use history and climate change have affected freshwater organisms' morphology
This was a National Science Foundation INTERN at CMNH with Dr. Jen Sheridan. I am investigating how land use history and climate change have affected morphology of freshwater amphibians and reptiles (frogs, salamanders, lizards) using museum specimens. The main project's focus is on Fowler's toads (Anaxyrus fowleri). This work was conducted at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. This work has been submitted.
Here are photos of Fowler's toad museum specimens and an example of me getting ready to measure a specimen.