Thomas Smallwood: Modelling multi-host pathogens for biodiversity conservation
Infectious diseases pose a substantial and increasing threat to biodiversity. Pathogens have been implicated in extinctions, both global and local, and population declines across a wide range of taxa. Generalist pathogens, transmissible between multiple species, pose a particular threat. In the presence of alternative host species, transmission may persist even at low host densities, facilitating population extinctions.
A range of strategies are available to manage the threat posed by pathogens. However, the cryptic nature of infectious disease in wildlife makes empirical assessment of the efficacy of such strategies difficult. Epidemiological modelling can be an invaluable tool in addressing the threat posed by pathogens to biodiversity, providing an inexpensive, a priori assessment of strategies for conservation management.
I’ll be outlining the development of epidemiological models for managing multi-host pathogens, with particular reference to the case studies of rabies in African wild dogs and Ebola in Western lowland gorillas.
Rowan Schley: Neotrepical Plant Evolution – Adding Pieces to the Jigsaw
The Neotropics is arguably the most floristically diverse region on Earth, with c.100,000 plant species. The Brownea clade (Leguminosae) is a characteristic component of the lowland Amazonian tree flora that is poorly understood, and is made up of around 125 species. These species are particularly diverse in floral morphology and the range of pollinators that visit them, with phenological adaptations to attract a wide variety of visitors.
This PhD project aims to investigate the factors driving the diversification of the Neotropical flora using the Brownea clade as a proxy. Initially, a framework phylogeny will be built using a representative sample of species from across the Brownea clade. From this adaptive divergence and resulting speciation will be investigated in a spatial context by examining the correlation between phylogenetic relationships, occurrence and ecological factors. Furthermore, by inferring the degree of neutral genetic differentiation between ecotypes (such as within the Brownea grandiceps complex), the evolution of reproductive isolation in the initial stages of speciation may be investigated, which is instrumental in studying the origins of biodiversity.
About the Series
The Grantham Changing Planet seminar series is run by students and staff on the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet (SSCP) Doctoral Training Program. The aim is to complement the diversity of environmental research here at Imperial College London and promote links to the broader community in UK and beyond. It offers the chance to hear the latest in understanding, adapting to and mitigating environmental problems.