Shauna Maureen Baillie

Citation

Thesis Title
Population Genetic Connectivity and Biogeography of the New Zealand Bellbird (Anthornis melanura) and their Avian Malaria Parasites

Read article at Massey Research Online:

In the face of major redistributions of species due to habitat loss and environmental change, Ms Baillie set out to describe and better understand the population genetic connectivity and malaria parasite community structure associated with an avian host, the New Zealand bellbird Anthornis melanura. Ms Baillie found that, despite large-scale extirpations, the bellbird remains genetically diverse, and hosts both exotic and endemic malaria parasites. That variation in habitat and an animals’ social ecology are non-exclusive forces affecting sex-biased gene flow and parasite levels is discussed. Ms Baillie’s thesis outlines the importance of dispersal, retention of remnant forests and evolutionary trade-off strategies in the maintenance of genetic diversity and endemic host-parasite communities

Supervisors
Professor Dianne Brunton
Professor Allan Baker
Dr Peter Ritchie
Dr Rosemary Barraclough