0000000001300848

AUTHOR

Hannes Lerp

Utility of island populations in re-introduction programmes--relationships between Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica) from the Farasan Archipelago and endangered mainland populations.

Understanding local adaptation and population differentiation is vital to the success of re-introduction initiatives. As other mammals living on islands, Arabian gazelles (G. arabica) show reduced body size on the Farasan archipelago, which we corroborated in this study through morphometric analyses of skulls. In the light of the steep population decline on the Arabian Peninsula – but stable population development on the archipelago – we tested the potential suitability of Farasan gazelles as a source for re-introductions on the mainland. We therefore investigated genetic differentiation between Farasan and mainland populations using eleven nuclear microsatellite loci and detected a distinc…

research product

Gene expression patterns underlying parasite-induced alterations in host behaviour and life history

Many parasites manipulate their hosts' phenotype. In particular, parasites with complex life cycles take control of their intermediate hosts' behaviour and life history to increase transmission to their definitive host. The proximate mechanisms underlying these parasite-induced alterations are poorly understood. The cestode Anomotaenia brevis affects the behaviour, life history and morphology of parasitized Temnothorax nylanderi ants and indirectly of their unparasitized nestmates. To gain insights on how parasites alter host phenotypes, we contrast brain gene expression patterns of T. nylanderi workers parasitized with the cestode, their unparasitized nestmates and unparasitized workers fr…

research product

Data from: Gene expression patterns underlying parasite-induced alterations in host behaviour and life history

Many parasites manipulate their hosts’ phenotype. In particular, parasites with complex life cycles take control of their intermediate hosts’ behaviour and life history to increase transmission to their definitive host. The proximate mechanisms underlying these parasite-induced alterations are poorly understood. The cestode Anomotaenia brevis affects the behaviour, life history and morphology of parasitized Temnothorax nylanderi ants and indirectly of their unparasitized nestmates. To gain insights on how parasites alter host phenotypes, we contrast brain gene expression patterns of T. nylanderi workers parasitized with the cestode, their unparasitized nestmates and unparasitized workers fr…

research product

Data from: Utility of island populations in reintroduction programs—relationships between Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica) from the Farasan Archipelago and endangered mainland populations

Understanding local adaptation and population differentiation is vital to the success of reintroduction initiatives. Like other mammals living on islands, Arabian gazelles (G. arabica) show reduced body size on the Farasan archipelago, which we corroborated in this study through morphometric analyses of skulls. In light of the steep population decline on the Arabian Peninsula—but stable population development on the archipelago—we tested the potential suitability of Farasan gazelles as a source for reintroductions on the mainland. We, therefore, investigated genetic differentiation between Farasan and mainland populations using eleven nuclear microsatellite loci and detected a distinct gene…

research product