The Perplexity of Parasitism; Co-evolution between Cordyceps fungi and Carpenter ants

Projektinformationen

CO EVOL ANTS AND FUNGI

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 41613

Startdatum 18 Oktober 2006

Enddatum 17 Oktober 2008

Finanziert unter

• Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006

Gesamtkosten € 0,00

EU-Beitrag € 190 108,00

Koordiniert durch

UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN
Denmark

Ziel

The social insects are among the great achievements of organic evolution and their societies represent a major evolutionary transition in lifes move towards complexity. Consequently, insect societies have historically held a considerable interest for both biologists and lay people. One particularly interesting and rapidly developing field for evolutionary biologists is the interaction between social insects and their parasites. My proposal will be set within this field. I will use the parasite fungus, Cordyceps, as a tool to examine host-parasite relationships within social insects (Carpenter ants; Camponotus genus, from Thailand). This interesting fungus manipulates the behaviour of ants to achieve transmission. I will focus on two key areas that I consider vital to understanding the fundamental evolutionary biology of this relationship: the evolutionary history and the manipulation of host behaviour. For key area 1 I will reconstruct a host-parasite phylogeny, examine prevalence among nests and compare group I intron load with published findings form other insects. For key area 2 I will test two hypotheses relating to the behaviour of infected ants using chemical ecology and population genetic approaches (ant graveyard and Trojan ant respectively).
The work has a number of important interdisciplinary aspects between me, the proposed host (Prof. Boomsma, Copenhagen), his collaborators and two prominent Cordyceps biologists. All of which increases the potential of me successfully carrying out the stated objectives within the time frame laid down. This proposal is coherent with my research profile but, importantly, will give me advanced training in core scientific skills (phylogenetics, chemical ecology and population genetics). I will also gain important complementary skills training such as budgeting, grant writing and conference organising. This fellowship will enhance my potential for achieving a position of professional maturity and independence.

Wissenschaftliches Gebiet

• natural sciences › biological sciences › ecology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › evolutionary biology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › microbiology › mycology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › biological behavioural sciences › ethology › biological interactions
• natural sciences › biological sciences › zoology › entomology

Schlüsselbegriffe

• ants
• behavioural ecology
• behavioural manipulation of host behaviour
• chemical ecology
• co-phylogeny
• host-parasite evolution
• population genetics
• social insects
• virulence theory

Programm/Programme

• FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006

Thema/Themen

• MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF)

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

FP6-2005-MOBILITY-5
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigen

Finanzierungsplan

EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Koordinator

UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

• EU-Beitrag: Keine Daten
• Adresse: Norregade 10 ; COPENHAGEN ; Dänemark
• Gesamtkosten: Keine Daten