UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Publications related to this research:
Love, A. C., Nahom, M. L., Gutierrez, J., Albert, L., S.A. Knutie. 2024. An early‐life disruption of gut microbiota has opposing effects on parasite resistance in two host species. Molecular Ecology e17595. doi: 10.1111/mec.17595
Knutie, S.A., M.A. Bertone, R. Bahouth, C. Webb, M. Mehta, M. Nahom, R.M. Barta, S. Ghai, S.L. Balenger, M.W. Butler, A.C. Kennedy, B. Reichard, C.C. Taff, G.F. Albery. Understanding spatiotemporal effects of food supplementation on host-parasite interactions using community-based science. Journal of Animal Ecology 93:1830-1840. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.14155
Stierhoff, E.N., J.M. Carpenettie, S.A. Knutie, J.W. Wallace, M. Butler. 2023. Hemophagous ectoparasites affect nestling size and physiology, but not apparent survival. Journal of Ornithology 165:449-459. doi: 10.1007/s10336-023-02115-2
Albert, L., S. Rumshlaug, A. Parker, G. Vaziri, S.A. Knutie. 2023. Elevated nest temperature has opposing effects on host species infested with parasitic nest flies. Oecologia 201:877-886. doi: 10.1007/s00442-023-05343-8
Butler, M., E. Stierhoff, J. Carpenetti, M. Bertone, A. Addesso, S.A. Knutie. 2021. Oxidative damage increases with degree of simulated bacterial infection, but not ectoparasitism, in tree swallow nestlings. Journal of Experimental Biology 224:jeb243116. doi: 10.1242/jeb.243116
Ingala, M.R., L. Albert, A. Addesso, M.J. Watkins, S.A. Knutie. 2021. Differential effects of elevated nest temperature and parasitism on the gut microbiota of wild avian hosts. Animal Microbiomes 3:67. doi: 10.1186/s42523-021-00130-3
Knutie, S.A. 2020. Food supplementation affects gut microbiota and immunological resistance to parasites in a wild bird species. Journal of Applied Ecology 57:536–547. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13567
Grab, K.M., B.J. Hiller, J.H. Hurlbert, M.E. Ingram, A.B. Parker, D.Y. Pokutnaya, S.A. Knutie. 2019. Host tolerance and resistance to parasitic nest flies differ across two wild bird species. Ecology and Evolution 9:12144-12155. doi: 10.1002/ECE3.5682
Trevelline, B.K., K.J. MacLeod, S.A. Knutie, T. Langkilde, K.D. Kohl. 2018. In ovo microbial communities: a potential mechanism for the initial acquisition of gut microbiota among oviparous vertebrates. Biology Letters 14. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0225
DeSimone, J., E.D. Clotfelter, B. Black, S.A. Knutie. 2018. Avoidance, tolerance, and resistance to ectoparasites in nestling and adult tree swallows. Journal of Avian Biology 49: jav-01641. doi: 10.1111/jav.01641
Questions
Understanding the mechanisms that mediate the effects of local ecology on geographic mosaics of host-nest parasite interactions using the Nest Parasite Community Science Project.
What environmental factors explain host-parasite geographic mosaics?
Does nest microclimate during the developmental stage of birds affect host-parasite geographic mosaics?
Does early-life parasitism have a net positive affect on overall host fitness?
Do invasive hosts indirectly affect native hosts by serving as reservoir hosts of nest parasites?
Effects of local ecology on the evolution of avian nest parasites
The goal of this work is to determine how local ecology, including during winter, affects adaptation, virulence, and macroevolutionary patterns of the avian nest parasite community. We are using a long-term study site at Itasca Biological Station and experimental evolution to determine whether overwintering temperature affects the survival, reproductive success, and virulence of parasitic nest fly that infest eastern bluebirds over multiple generations. We are also using a Nest Parasite Community Science project to study the entire nest parasite community with the public community (nest box “landlords”). Specifically, we are using common garden experiments and observational data to determine what ecological factors affect the prevalence, local adaptation, and abundance of nest parasite communities across the range of their eastern bluebird and tree swallow hosts.
Selected relevant papers (Click on title):
- Understanding spatiotemporal effects of food supplementation on host-parasite interactions use community-based science
- Host tolerance and resistance to parasitic nest flies differ across two bird species
- Food supplementation affects gut microbiota and immunological resistance to parasites in a wild bird species
- Avoidance, tolerance, and resistance to ectoparasites in nestling and adult tree swallows
Love, A. C., Nahom, M. L., Gutierrez, J., Albert, L., S.A. Knutie. 2024. An early‐life disruption of gut microbiota has opposing effects on parasite resistance in two host species. Molecular Ecology e17595. doi: 10.1111/mec.17595
Knutie, S.A., M.A. Bertone, R. Bahouth, C. Webb, M. Mehta, M. Nahom, R.M. Barta, S. Ghai, S.L. Balenger, M.W. Butler, A.C. Kennedy, B. Reichard, C.C. Taff, G.F. Albery. Understanding spatiotemporal effects of food supplementation on host-parasite interactions using community-based science. Journal of Animal Ecology 93:1830-1840. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.14155
Stierhoff, E.N., J.M. Carpenettie, S.A. Knutie, J.W. Wallace, M. Butler. 2023. Hemophagous ectoparasites affect nestling size and physiology, but not apparent survival. Journal of Ornithology 165:449-459. doi: 10.1007/s10336-023-02115-2
Albert, L., S. Rumshlaug, A. Parker, G. Vaziri, S.A. Knutie. 2023. Elevated nest temperature has opposing effects on host species infested with parasitic nest flies. Oecologia 201:877-886. doi: 10.1007/s00442-023-05343-8
Butler, M., E. Stierhoff, J. Carpenetti, M. Bertone, A. Addesso, S.A. Knutie. 2021. Oxidative damage increases with degree of simulated bacterial infection, but not ectoparasitism, in tree swallow nestlings. Journal of Experimental Biology 224:jeb243116. doi: 10.1242/jeb.243116
Ingala, M.R., L. Albert, A. Addesso, M.J. Watkins, S.A. Knutie. 2021. Differential effects of elevated nest temperature and parasitism on the gut microbiota of wild avian hosts. Animal Microbiomes 3:67. doi: 10.1186/s42523-021-00130-3
Knutie, S.A. 2020. Food supplementation affects gut microbiota and immunological resistance to parasites in a wild bird species. Journal of Applied Ecology 57:536–547. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13567
Grab, K.M., B.J. Hiller, J.H. Hurlbert, M.E. Ingram, A.B. Parker, D.Y. Pokutnaya, S.A. Knutie. 2019. Host tolerance and resistance to parasitic nest flies differ across two wild bird species. Ecology and Evolution 9:12144-12155. doi: 10.1002/ECE3.5682
Trevelline, B.K., K.J. MacLeod, S.A. Knutie, T. Langkilde, K.D. Kohl. 2018. In ovo microbial communities: a potential mechanism for the initial acquisition of gut microbiota among oviparous vertebrates. Biology Letters 14. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0225
DeSimone, J., E.D. Clotfelter, B. Black, S.A. Knutie. 2018. Avoidance, tolerance, and resistance to ectoparasites in nestling and adult tree swallows. Journal of Avian Biology 49: jav-01641. doi: 10.1111/jav.01641
Questions
Understanding the mechanisms that mediate the effects of local ecology on geographic mosaics of host-nest parasite interactions using the Nest Parasite Community Science Project.
What environmental factors explain host-parasite geographic mosaics?
Does nest microclimate during the developmental stage of birds affect host-parasite geographic mosaics?
Does early-life parasitism have a net positive affect on overall host fitness?
Do invasive hosts indirectly affect native hosts by serving as reservoir hosts of nest parasites?
Effects of local ecology on the evolution of avian nest parasites
The goal of this work is to determine how local ecology, including during winter, affects adaptation, virulence, and macroevolutionary patterns of the avian nest parasite community. We are using a long-term study site at Itasca Biological Station and experimental evolution to determine whether overwintering temperature affects the survival, reproductive success, and virulence of parasitic nest fly that infest eastern bluebirds over multiple generations. We are also using a Nest Parasite Community Science project to study the entire nest parasite community with the public community (nest box “landlords”). Specifically, we are using common garden experiments and observational data to determine what ecological factors affect the prevalence, local adaptation, and abundance of nest parasite communities across the range of their eastern bluebird and tree swallow hosts.
Selected relevant papers (Click on title):
- Understanding spatiotemporal effects of food supplementation on host-parasite interactions use community-based science
- Host tolerance and resistance to parasitic nest flies differ across two bird species
- Food supplementation affects gut microbiota and immunological resistance to parasites in a wild bird species
- Avoidance, tolerance, and resistance to ectoparasites in nestling and adult tree swallows