Martin Adamson

My research concerns evolutionary biology of parasites with particular, but not exclusive reference to nematodes, and is a marriage of ecology and phylogenetic systematics. Morphological and molecular approaches to phylogeny are used.
Current projects focus on the following:
1. Origins of zooparasitic nematodes: We are using sequence of the 18s ribosomal genes to investigate the possible multiple origin of parasitic forms.
2. Ecology of species formation: We study differences among sympatric sibling species to determine factors that may be involved in speciation.
3. Community interactions: By censusof wild parasite communities and experimental manipulations of parasites in the laboratory colonies, we study interspecific and intraspecific effects that govern community structure. Our studies on the pinworm community of the American cockroach demonstrate intraspecific mechanisms that permit species packing in the absence of niche diversification.