Science

Alien vs Predator

• Adventure
• Rockin’
• Authentic

What if we could discover the cure of human parasitic diseases analyzing the strongest immune system in the world!  Or be able to obtain the MOST accurate way of analyzing pollution in an environment that can prevent wildlife and human toxin-related diseases? Not to mention all this could help continue the preservation of one of the oldest predators on our earth!!!! This is all possible by analyzing a predator and its aliens- looking at the interaction of the American Alligator and its parasites!

Crocodilians have been on our earth for over 200 million years!  Its possible that they have built a unique bond between their parasites that has helped them to adapt to naturally changing environments, develop an awesome killing maching immune system, and become "King" of their habitat.  So studying this interaction could contribute in providing conservation management not just for crocodilians internationally, but also for the preservation of other wildlife and habitat.  Not to mention that it can ensure the stability of human culture and economy on local populations that depend on crocodilians.  

My research on studying the alligator-parasite relationship has three main goals: 

GOAL 1:  Analyze environmental and anthropogenic impacts on alligator parasitism over a three year period in Louisiana.  

GOAL 2:  Examine how heavy metal pollutants effect alligator parasitism, as well as how heavy metal concentrations impact immune function.

GOAL 3:  Evaluate how the alligator immune system fights off or neutralizes its stomach and intestinal parasites.

GOAL 4:  Assess the distribution of alligator parasite species.  A change in parasite species could indicate a change in ecosystem stability - depending on other factors this could mean good or bad!  Its a KEY CLUE!

Is one of the questions in your head, "Why alligators, and why their parasites?"  Well, alligators and parasites are keystone species.  Alligators because of their trophic status, parasites because of their dependency on multiple animals in the food web for reproduction success.  As a result they are the two key organisms to analyze how an ecosystem is being impacted by external stressors, such as heavy metal pollution, or hurricane.  In addition, considering alligators have one of the strongest immune systems in the world, analyzing its immune response to kill or neutralize its parasites could give us clues on how we can find cures for wildlife or human parasitic diseases!  

I love researching alligator parasitism!  Just to think that I am exploring a relationship that dates back to the dinosaurs is a blast to the past!  This research is significant to me as it has huge conservation implications for crocodilians internationally and their habitat, as well as ensures the stability of the culture and economy of the local communities of Louisiana (The alligator industry is one of the leading incomes of the state of Louisiana!).  And it is also exciting to think that studying this relationship can provide information for wildlife and human diseases!

Please help fund this predator vs alien interaction, before human and environmental alterations negatively impact this relationship forever!

Funding

Contributions of this project will go towards heavy metal and oil analyses of alligator tissue samples and parasites, histology slides, and evaluation of blood samples for innate immune testing.  Additional funding if my project fuels over my goal will go towards collecting crocodilian samples internationally, as well as buy state of the art dissecting/microscope.