Urbanization can affect ecological dynamics and wildlife health, especially in parasite-host interactions. House finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) inhabit urban, suburban, and rural environments and are susceptible to vector-borne haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon). In our study system, blood smear analysis revealed that house finches in suburban and rural habitats have higher haemosporidian prevalence and parasitemia than urban habitats, but the distribution of specific parasite variants remains unknown. We aim to genetically characterize haemosporidian lineages along three categories of urbanization. We hypothesize that haemosporidian diversity will differ by habitat, with distinct variants emerging in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Specifically, we will amplify the Cyt-b gene from roughly 87 positive samples using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequencing is currently underway. We will check sequence quality with Geneious and identify variants with BLASTn, followed by haplotype networks and statistical analyses in R. Ultimately, this research will offer insight into whether urbanization shapes the distribution and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites and to better understand how environmental change influences parasite lineage distribution. This project helps conservation efforts and may help guide urban planning to promote biodiversity and contribute to understanding how parasite-host dynamics are altered at the human-wildlife interface.

I am a 4th year undergraduate biology major with a passion for conservation, ecology, and genetics. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology at California State University, Fresno as a Smittcamp Family Honors College (SFHC) President’s scholar, and I plan to pursue a Ph.D. upon graduation. I am currently part of the Biology Honors Program, and am conducting research on the effects of urbanization on haemosporidian parasite interactions with house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus). I am excited to network with everyone at this event in order to find Ph.D. opportunities and gain new connections!