Research

In the Preisser lab, our work focuses on the ecology and biogeography of parasitic diseases of wildlife. We are interested in understanding how parasitic infections are distributed across space and time and how hosts, their environment, and anthropogenic disturbances shape these distributions. We also seek to uncover the hidden biodiversity of parasites.

 

Current projects

What's in a Fish?

Georgia is a hotspot for freshwater fish diversity in the United States, yet we know little about the parasites infecting these species in the state. KSU has over 2000 ethanol-preserved freshwater fish collected around the state between 1999 and 2016; over 115 species of fish are represented in this collection. We collect parasites from these preserved fish and use these data to pursue multiple projects describing parasite biodiversity and investigating how diversity and abundance change over time, across space, and within and between individual genera and species.

 

Roadkill Opportunities

Project description coming soon...