Good Medicine for Conservation Biology: The intersection of epidemiology and conservation
(Leah Gerber, Kevin Lafferty)
EPIDEMIOLOGY (KEVIN)
Host density threshold
Target host
Intermediate host
Effect of generalist/reservior
Change in resistance (genetic diversity/pollution)
Change in parasite vital rates
Change in parasite death
Change in infected host death
CONSERVATION THEORY (LEAH)
PVA
Demographics
Variation in abundance over time
Sensitivity analysis
Management actions
Threats
Vital rates
Survival
Reproduction
Emmigration/Immigration
Conservation genetics
EPS
MAIN THREATS (all may interact, and have indirect effects) (KEVIN)
Habitat Alteration
Loss
Reduce N, but maintain density (may increase density)
May maintain diversity
Fragmentation
Edge effects, isolation
Degradation
Disturbance
Over exploitation
Hunting/Fishing
Reduce N
Cull infected
Cull healthy
Forestry
Monoculture
Introduced spp. & agriculture
Release from natural enemies (low founder, e.g., marine larvae)
Introduced pathogens
Introduced intermediate hosts
Indirect effects
Protecting range animals
Brucellosis
Climate change
Warm & wet (see Andy’s paper)
Stress
Increased susceptibility
Regime shift to tropical / low altitude
Indirect effects
Pathogen range expansion
Sea level change
Connect water masses
Change in wind and current patterns
UV
amphibians
CO2
Increase plant density?
Pollution
Aquatic
Eutrophication
Thermal effluent
Pulp-mill effluent
Crude Oil
Industrial effluent
Sewage sludge
Acid precipitation
Heavy metals
PCBs (Per can get unpub ref)
Terrestrial
Air pollution
Aerosols
Acid
Smog
Pulmonary Disease
Vegetation loss
Ozone
Nitrogen Deposition
Pesticides
Mining tails
Garbage/landfill
GOALS (LEAH)
Prevent extinction
Risk factors
Narrow range
Few populations
Small pop size
Low density
Large home range
Large body size
Low rates of increase
Poor dispersers
Migratory species
Little genetic var.
Specialized niche
Require undisturbed habitats
Aggregating behavior (suceptible to harvesting)
Hard to push below Host threshold?
Commercially exploited species
Maintain diversity (KEVIN)
Parasites as indicators
Role of parasites
Connel-Janzen
Trophic transmission / modification
ACTIONS (LEAH)
Reserves/Preservation
Size
Connectivity (look for corridors paper, scale in marine systems)
Number
Habitat Representation
Level of Protection
Recovery
Classification of T&E
Active Management
Protection
Captive Breeding/Reintroduction
Reduction of immunocompetency
Reduction in genetic resistance/variation
Evolution of virulent pathogens
Disease Intervention (When, KEVIN)
Andy’s Outline
Complex lifecycles allow more options