Jennifer Koop, Ph.D.
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Appointments and Education
- NIH PERT Post-doctoral Fellow, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Aug 2011- Present
- Ph.D., Department of Biology, University of Utah, May 2011
- B.S., Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, May 2004
Background and Research Interests
I received my B.S. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin in 2004. I then received my Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Utah in 2011, where I was advised by Dr. Dale Clayton. My Ph.D. work focused on the effects of an introduced parasitic nest fly on Darwin's finches in the Galapagos Islands. Philornis downsi was recently introduced to the Galapagos where it is now known to parasitize nearly every land bird species present in the archipelago. My work showed the severe impact of the fly on the reproductive success of the medium ground finch (Geospiza fortis), a species of Darwin's finch. Larvae feed on the blood of nestling and adult finches, significantly decreasing fitness (as measured by nestling growth and fledging success). To understand the underlying causes of the magnitude of this effect, I also investigated the presence and effectiveness of host immunological and behavioral defenses against P. downsi. Together with collaborators, we performed an ecoimmunological study in which we simultaneously quantified a parasite specific antibody response as well as consequent effects on both parasite and host fitness, within a wild bird population. My dissertation work has contributed to the development of control and management plans aimed at protecting Darwin's finches from the effects of this introduced parasite.
I joined the Whiteman lab in 2011 as an NIH PERT postdoctoral fellow (provided through the Center for Insect Science). My work in the Whiteman lab continues to investigate host-parasite dynamics, but with the added perspective of ecological genetics. Parasites compose nearly half the world's species diversity and parasitism is considered to be one of the most common life history strategies. My work thus far has contributed to two major projects. The first uses the natural evolutionary laboratory of the Galapagos Islands to examine the link between macroevolutionary patterns of parasite diversification the underlying microevolutionary processes. For example, mirrored host and parasite phylogenies are macroevolutionary patterns that are often used to infer processes of co-speciation. However, other processes, such as host-switching, can lead to similar phylogenetic patterns. I am studying the processes of synchronous allopatric isolation of individuals and populations of the endangered Galápagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) and their parasitic lice, Degeeriella regalis in the Galápagos Islands. This species pair co-colonized the archipelago and present an attractive system to test predictions of co-speciation processes. I am using a population genetics approach to examine the population structure of both hawks and lice among and within islands. Under a model of co-speciation, lice alleles are expected to track hawk alleles, moving from ancestral to descendant species, ancestral to descendant populations and perhaps, even at the individual level of parent to offspring host.
The second major project of my postdoctoral fellowship has focused on the development of a system native to the Sonoran desert, that has tremendous potential to answer questions about parasite transmission dynamics in both an ecological and evolutionary context. Desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) is a ubiquitous aerial stemparasite native to the Sonoran Desert. Desert mistletoe infects a number of legume host tree species including velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina), cat-claw acacia (Acacia greggii), and palo verde (Cercidium spp.). While rarely fatal to the host plant, mistletoe draw nutrients from host xylem via an attachment to a host branch, called a haustorial disk. Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) act as the primary vector for mistletoe. During the winter months, when Phainopepla are present in this area, desert mistletoe serve as a primary food source. The birds eat up to 1000 mistletoe berries a day and distribute the seeds among host trees in their fecal matter. The complex interactions between host, parasite, and vector, within this system provide an ideal opportunity to study parasite transmission dynamics. Working together with several undergraduates, we are developing microsatellite markers to determine the population genetic structure of mistletoe. In tandem, we are experimentally testing how biological factors (eg. host provenance, vector preferences, etc.) mediate mistletoe infections and subsequently influence mistletoe population structure. We are also tracking Phainopepla behavior at our field sites, in an effort to further detail their role as vectors of desert mistletoe. This work builds on that of Dr. Julian Aukema and Dr. Carlos Martinez del Rio (both formerly of University of Arizona), who investigated desert mistletoe distribution at the Santa Rita Experimental Range, and provided the necessary background to facilitate our more recent endeavors.
I joined the Whiteman lab in 2011 as an NIH PERT postdoctoral fellow (provided through the Center for Insect Science). My work in the Whiteman lab continues to investigate host-parasite dynamics, but with the added perspective of ecological genetics. Parasites compose nearly half the world's species diversity and parasitism is considered to be one of the most common life history strategies. My work thus far has contributed to two major projects. The first uses the natural evolutionary laboratory of the Galapagos Islands to examine the link between macroevolutionary patterns of parasite diversification the underlying microevolutionary processes. For example, mirrored host and parasite phylogenies are macroevolutionary patterns that are often used to infer processes of co-speciation. However, other processes, such as host-switching, can lead to similar phylogenetic patterns. I am studying the processes of synchronous allopatric isolation of individuals and populations of the endangered Galápagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) and their parasitic lice, Degeeriella regalis in the Galápagos Islands. This species pair co-colonized the archipelago and present an attractive system to test predictions of co-speciation processes. I am using a population genetics approach to examine the population structure of both hawks and lice among and within islands. Under a model of co-speciation, lice alleles are expected to track hawk alleles, moving from ancestral to descendant species, ancestral to descendant populations and perhaps, even at the individual level of parent to offspring host.
The second major project of my postdoctoral fellowship has focused on the development of a system native to the Sonoran desert, that has tremendous potential to answer questions about parasite transmission dynamics in both an ecological and evolutionary context. Desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) is a ubiquitous aerial stemparasite native to the Sonoran Desert. Desert mistletoe infects a number of legume host tree species including velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina), cat-claw acacia (Acacia greggii), and palo verde (Cercidium spp.). While rarely fatal to the host plant, mistletoe draw nutrients from host xylem via an attachment to a host branch, called a haustorial disk. Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) act as the primary vector for mistletoe. During the winter months, when Phainopepla are present in this area, desert mistletoe serve as a primary food source. The birds eat up to 1000 mistletoe berries a day and distribute the seeds among host trees in their fecal matter. The complex interactions between host, parasite, and vector, within this system provide an ideal opportunity to study parasite transmission dynamics. Working together with several undergraduates, we are developing microsatellite markers to determine the population genetic structure of mistletoe. In tandem, we are experimentally testing how biological factors (eg. host provenance, vector preferences, etc.) mediate mistletoe infections and subsequently influence mistletoe population structure. We are also tracking Phainopepla behavior at our field sites, in an effort to further detail their role as vectors of desert mistletoe. This work builds on that of Dr. Julian Aukema and Dr. Carlos Martinez del Rio (both formerly of University of Arizona), who investigated desert mistletoe distribution at the Santa Rita Experimental Range, and provided the necessary background to facilitate our more recent endeavors.
Publications
12. Koop, Jennifer A.H., DeMatteo, Karen E., Parker, Patricia G., Whiteman, Noah K. (2014) Birds are islands for parasites. Biology Letters 10(8) doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0255
11. Skinner, Michael K., Guerrero-Bosagna, Carlos, Haque, Md. M., Koop, Jennifer A.H., Knutie, Sarah A., Clayton, Dale H. (2014) Epigenetics and the evolution of Darwin's finches. Genome Biology and Evolution 6(8):1972-1989. (with cover)
10. Koop, Jennifer A.H., Le Bohec, Celine, and Dale H. Clayton. (2013) Dry year does not reduce prevalence or abundance of Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae) in Darwin’s finch nests. Reports in Parasitology 3:11-17.
9. Villa, Scott M., Le Bohec, Celine, Koop, Jennifer A.H., Proctor, Heather C., and Dale H. Clayton. (2013) Diversity of feather mites (Acari: Astigmata) on Darwin’s finches. Journal of Parasitology. doi: 10.1645/12-112.1.
8. Knutie, Sarah A.* & Koop, Jennifer A. H.*, French, Susannah S., and Dale H. Clayton. (2013) Experimental test of the effect of introduced hematophagous flies on the corticosterone levels of breeding female Darwin’s finches. General and Comparative Endocrinology 193: 68-71. *Authors contributed equally to this work.
7. Koop, Jennifer A.H., Owen, Jeb P., Knutie, Sarah A., Aguilar, M. Alejandra, and Dale H. Clayton. (2013) Experimental demonstration of a parasite-induced immune response in wild birds: Darwin’s finches and introduced nest flies. Ecology and Evolution. doi: 10.1002/ece3.651.
6. Koop, Jennifer A.H. and Dale H. Clayton. (2013) Evaluation of two methods for quantifying passeriform lice. Journal of Field Ornithology 84(2): 210-215.
5. Koop, Jennifer A.H., Huber, Sarah K., and Dale H. Clayton. (2012) Does sunlight enhance the effectiveness of avian preening for ectoparasite control? Journal of Parasitology, 98:46-48.
4. Koop, Jennifer A.H., Huber, Sarah K., Laverty, Sean M., and Dale H. Clayton (2011) Experimental demonstration of the fitness consequences of an introduced parasite of Darwin’s finches. PLoS ONE, 6(5):e19706, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019706.
3. Shawkey, Matthew D., D’Alba, Liliana, Wozny, Joel, Eliason, Chad, Koop, Jennifer A.H., and Li Jia. (2011) Structural color change following hydration and dehydration of iridescent mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) feathers. Zoology, 114: 59-68. (with cover)
2. Huber, Sarah K., Owen, Jeb P., Koop, Jennifer A.H., King, Marisa O., Grant, Peter R., Grant, B. Rosemary, and Dale H. Clayton. (2010) Ecoimmunity in Darwin's Finches: invasive parasites trigger acquired immunity in the Medium ground finch (Geospiza fortis). PLoS ONE, 5:e8605, doi: 10.1381/journal.pone.0008605.
1. Clayton, Dale H., Koop, Jennifer A.H., Harbison, Christopher W., Moyer, Brett R., and Sarah E. Bush. (2010) How birds combat ectoparasites. Open Ornithology Journal, 3: 41-71, doi: 10.2174/1874453201003020041
