VIMS Events
This calendar presented by
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
[PAST EVENT] Seminar: Dr. Kevin Lafferty
April 17, 2015
3pm - 4:30pm
Location
VIMS - Watermen's Hall, McHugh Auditorium1375 Greate Road
Gloucester Point, VA 23062Map this location
Join Dr. Kevin Lafferty, senior ecologist with the USGS and adjunct faculty from the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology at UC Santa Barbara as he presents, "Infectious diseases in a time of climate change and biodiversity loss".
Bio:
Dr. Kevin Lafferty is a Sr. Ecologist with the US Geological Survey and adjunct faculty at University of California Santa Barbara. Dr Lafferty received his PhD in Ecology from UCSB in 1991 and holds a MS in Zoology and BA in Aquatic Biology from the same institution. He studies a range of systems, including estuaries, kelp forests, and coral reefs. One of his main interests is to understand the role of infectious diseases in these systems, often also exploring how impacts to the environment like climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss affect disease processes. As an example, his efforts contributed to the recent high profile discovery of the virus behind the wasting disease that decimated Pacific Coast sea stars. Kevin has published over 150 articles, many in high impact journals such as Science, Nature and Ecology. He is associate editor at Ecology and Ecology Letters. In 2009 he received the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal from the American Society of Parasitologists in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field.
Abstract:
Parasitism is the most common consumer strategy among organisms, yet only recently has there been a call for the inclusion of infectious disease agents in food webs. The value of this effort hinges on whether parasites affect food-web properties. Increasing evidence suggests that parasites have the potential to uniquely alter food-web topology in terms of chain length, conductance and robustness. Parasites also can affect predator-prey interactions. In addition, parasites might affect food-web stability, interaction strength and energy flow. Food-web structure also affects infectious disease dynamics because parasites depend on the ecological networks in which they live. Trophic cascades and biodiversity loss can therefore have indirect effects on parasites.
Reception at 3:00 in Watermen's Hall Lobby.
Seminar from 3:30 to 4:30 in McHugh Auditorium.
Bio:
Dr. Kevin Lafferty is a Sr. Ecologist with the US Geological Survey and adjunct faculty at University of California Santa Barbara. Dr Lafferty received his PhD in Ecology from UCSB in 1991 and holds a MS in Zoology and BA in Aquatic Biology from the same institution. He studies a range of systems, including estuaries, kelp forests, and coral reefs. One of his main interests is to understand the role of infectious diseases in these systems, often also exploring how impacts to the environment like climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss affect disease processes. As an example, his efforts contributed to the recent high profile discovery of the virus behind the wasting disease that decimated Pacific Coast sea stars. Kevin has published over 150 articles, many in high impact journals such as Science, Nature and Ecology. He is associate editor at Ecology and Ecology Letters. In 2009 he received the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal from the American Society of Parasitologists in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field.
Abstract:
Parasitism is the most common consumer strategy among organisms, yet only recently has there been a call for the inclusion of infectious disease agents in food webs. The value of this effort hinges on whether parasites affect food-web properties. Increasing evidence suggests that parasites have the potential to uniquely alter food-web topology in terms of chain length, conductance and robustness. Parasites also can affect predator-prey interactions. In addition, parasites might affect food-web stability, interaction strength and energy flow. Food-web structure also affects infectious disease dynamics because parasites depend on the ecological networks in which they live. Trophic cascades and biodiversity loss can therefore have indirect effects on parasites.
Reception at 3:00 in Watermen's Hall Lobby.
Seminar from 3:30 to 4:30 in McHugh Auditorium.
Contact
[[v|hale, Rob Hale]]