Kristen Bliss
Thesis: A Helminth Parasite Survey of Kinosternids Across Varying Hydration Regimes
Parasitism is one of the most common lifestyles among plants, animals, and fungi. Parasite-host relationships have been documented across many taxa and its implications are far-reaching with the potential to drive host population health, individual fitness, and to influence aspects of biodiversity such as community structure. Typical parasite-host interactions may be altered in extreme, highly unpredictable, or highly disturbed habitats and increasing evidence suggests that diversity among parasites and average parasite loads are negatively influenced by these conditions. Kristen's question is aimed at understanding the contributions of the external environment and the host-specific biology to parasite suppression and parasite-host relationships. Kristen is examining parasite loads within populations of three semi-aquatic turtles: the Sonoran Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense), the Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens), and the Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum). Beside, inhabiting characteristically different environments (desert, temperate), these species also vary in their use of aquatic habitats and the length of time they remain in estivation (i.e. a physiological state of decreased metabolism). Kristen's CV.