The answer that seems to emerge from Altizer's research is that virulence is related to parasite load -- think tapeworms or malaria. Parasites/pathogens that have little effect on their host's health don't spread as well as those that have more effect. <http://www.uga.edu/news/artman/publish/080514_Monarch.shtml>
Caveat: I haven't read the actual paper in question. (De Roode, J.C .,Yates, A.J. and Altizer, S. 2008. Virulence-transmission trade-offs and population divergence in virulence in a naturally occurring butterfly parasite. PNAS. 105: 7489-7494.) I joined this discussion because Sonia Altizer is a faculty member in the same department where I'm a graduate student. Jane Shevtsov On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 5:32 PM, Wayne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Jane: > > What is your answer to your question? > > WT > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jane Shevtsov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> > Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 6:09 PM > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Palin laughs at fruit fly research > > >> A large part of Sonia Altizer's work uses monarchs and their parasites as a >> model system for host-parasite coevolution in general. (For example, why >> don't parasites always evolve to become harmless if their existence depends >> on their hosts?) This, of course, includes human pathogens. So, even if one >> does not care at all about monarch butterflies, this research has direct >> relevance to human well-being. >> >> Jane Shevtsov >> >> On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 6:46 AM, Jonathan Adams < >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> Altizer's own words give a good reason why that might actually be money >>> well spent. I am sure Palin and the Joes would gladly fund work on the >>> Liberty Bell or restoration of one of the oldest American flags... the >>> monarch butterfly is inconic to North America and its culture, and it is >>> certainly vulnerable to declines. My guess is that many Republicans would >>> hold its survival very dear (unless the name 'Monarch' itself is too >>> reminiscent of those terrible times before the Revolution, when the real >>> patriotic folk of America such as Sarah and Joe lived under the tyranny of >>> the British Crown). >>> >>> >>> > >>> > http://tinyurl.com/2d6r9f >>> > $679,492 Grant to assist professor's study of butterflies >>> > >>> > Altizer received the National Science Foundation Faculty >>> > Early Development Career award to study migration and >>> > infectious disease patterns in Monarch butterflies. >>> > >>> > Altizer hopes her research will help with conservation. She >>> > wants to know how migration keeps Monarchs healthy. >>> > "People tend to love Monarchs to death," Altizer said. >>> > Keeping humans from disrupting the butterflies' migration >>> > will help keep them healthy. >>> > >>> > Paul Cherubini >>> > El Dorado, Calif. >>> > >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> ------------- >> Jane Shevtsov >> Ecology Ph.D. student, University of Georgia >> co-founder, <a href="http://www.worldbeyondborders.org";>World Beyond >> Borders</a> >> Check out my blog, <a href="http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com";>Perceiving >> Wholes</a> >> >> "Political power comes out of the look in people's eyes." --Kim Stanley >> Robinson, _Blue Mars_ > -- ------------- Jane Shevtsov Ecology Ph.D. student, University of Georgia co-founder, <a href="http://www.worldbeyondborders.org";>World Beyond Borders</a> Check out my blog, <a href="http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com";>Perceiving Wholes</a> "Political power comes out of the look in people's eyes." --Kim Stanley Robinson, _Blue Mars_
