@article{harris_coonan_king_dunn_2013, title={Endemism in hostparasite interactions among island populations of an endangered species}, volume={19}, ISSN={["1472-4642"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84875073190&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/ddi.12016}, abstractNote={AbstractAimImplicit in conserving interactions is the idea that species behave differently throughout their range, resulting in functionally dissimilar populations of the same species. Host–parasite interactions are a useful system to explore the pervasiveness of these ecological phenotypes. Here, we investigated whether the role of an endangered, endemic species to provide habitat for ectoparasites varies throughout the geographic distribution of the host.LocationChannel Islands, California.MethodsWe captured island foxes (Urocyon littoralis sp.) from three populations: Santa Catalina (n = 72), Santa Rosa (n = 79) and San Miguel (n = 83). We compared the extent to which variation in parasite attributes were due to differences among individuals or populations. As a measure of the latter, we used discriminant function analysis to determine whether individuals from the same population ‘cluster’ together when comparing patterns of intensity in various ectoparasites.ResultsWe identified eight ectoparasite species that included at least six new parasite records for island foxes. We found that ectoparasite attributes including diversity and intensity varied among host populations. More importantly, we show that knowing the parasite composition of the host can identify its population of origin, due to unique host–parasite interactions. Overall, we correctly ‘assigned’ 72% of island foxes to their actual, respective populations, although there were inconsistencies among populations.Main conclusionsIf foxes generally have the same parasite assemblage regardless of their respective populations, then conservation of a single population likely maintains all necessary species interactions and discriminate function analysis is uninformative in discerning population assignments of individuals. Our findings highlight the importance of conserving populations to maintain endemic interactions and caution against extrapolating the ecology (i.e. known species associations) of a species to other locations within their range.}, number={4}, journal={DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS}, author={Harris, Nyeema C. and Coonan, Timothy J. and King, Julie L. and Dunn, Robert R.}, year={2013}, month={Apr}, pages={377–385} }
 @article{harris_dunn_2013, title={Species loss on spatial patterns and composition of zoonotic parasites}, volume={280}, ISSN={["1471-2954"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84899035495&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1098/rspb.2013.1847}, abstractNote={Species loss can result in the subsequent loss of affiliate species. Though largely ignored to date, these coextinctions can pose threats to human health by altering the composition, quantity and distribution of zoonotic parasites. We simulated host extinctions from more than 1300 host–parasite associations for 29 North American carnivores to investigate changes in parasite composition and species richness. We also explored the geography of zoonotic parasite richness under three carnivore composition scenarios and examined corresponding levels of human exposure. We found that changes in parasite assemblages differed among parasite groups. Because viruses tend to be generalists, the proportion of parasites that are viruses increased as more carnivores went extinct. Coextinction of carnivore parasites is unlikely to be common, given that few specialist parasites exploit hosts of conservation concern. However, local extirpations of widespread carnivore hosts can reduce overall zoonotic richness and shift distributions of parasite-rich areas. How biodiversity influences disease risks remains the subject of debate. Our results make clear that hosts vary in their contribution to human health risks. As a consequence, so too does the loss (or gain) of particular hosts. Anticipating changes in host composition in future environments may help inform parasite conservation and disease mitigation efforts.}, number={1771}, journal={PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES}, author={Harris, Nyeema C. and Dunn, Robert R.}, year={2013}, month={Nov} }
 @article{griffin_hebblewhite_robinson_zager_barber-meyer_christianson_creel_harris_hurley_jackson_et al._2011, title={Neonatal mortality of elk driven by climate, predator phenology and predator community composition}, volume={80}, number={6}, journal={Journal of Animal Ecology}, author={Griffin, K. A. and Hebblewhite, M. and Robinson, H. S. and Zager, P. and Barber-Meyer, S. M. and Christianson, D. and Creel, S. and Harris, N. C. and Hurley, M. A. and Jackson, D. H. and et al.}, year={2011}, pages={1246–1257} }
 @article{dunn_davies_harris_gavin_2010, title={Global drivers of human pathogen richness and prevalence}, volume={277}, ISSN={["1471-2954"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-77956922359&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1098/rspb.2010.0340}, abstractNote={The differences in the richness and prevalence of human pathogens among different geographical locations have ramifying consequences for societies and individuals. The relative contributions of different factors to these patterns, however, have not been fully resolved. We conduct a global analysis of the relative influence of climate, alternative host diversity and spending on disease prevention on modern patterns in the richness and prevalence of human pathogens. Pathogen richness (number of kinds) is largely explained by the number of birds and mammal species in a region. The most diverse countries with respect to birds and mammals are also the most diverse with respect to pathogens. Importantly, for human health, the prevalence of key human pathogens (number of cases) is strongly influenced by disease control efforts. As a consequence, even where disease richness is high, we might still control prevalence, particularly if we spend money in those regions where current spending is low, prevalence is high and populations are large.}, number={1694}, journal={PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES}, author={Dunn, Robert R. and Davies, T. Jonathan and Harris, Nyeema C. and Gavin, Michael C.}, year={2010}, month={Sep}, pages={2587–2595} }
 @article{harris_dunn_2010, title={Using host associations to predict spatial patterns in the species richness of the parasites of North American carnivores}, volume={13}, ISSN={["1461-0248"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-78650349764&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01527.x}, abstractNote={ Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 1411–1418AbstractDespite the central theme in ecology of evaluating determinants of species richness, little effort has been focused on parasites. Here, we developed a parasite diversity model based on known host associations with 29 North American carnivores to investigate the spatial heterogeneity of parasite richness, its relationship to carnivore richness, and how host composition and specificity influenced these patterns. Patterns in parasite species richness closely tracked carnivore species richness across space and this relationship was robust to deviations from the assumption that parasites match the distribution of their hosts. Because wide‐ranging hosts disproportionately contributed to total and specialist parasite species richness, conservation programmes that focus on these common hosts may capture not only much of biological diversity, but also unwittingly sources of human diseases. We supply the first parasite diversity model to understand broad‐scale patterns in species richness patterns for North American carnivores, which can inform both future parasite conservation and disease management.}, number={11}, journal={ECOLOGY LETTERS}, author={Harris, Nyeema C. and Dunn, Robert R.}, year={2010}, month={Nov}, pages={1411–1418} }
 @misc{dunn_harris_colwell_koh_sodhi_2009, title={The sixth mass coextinction: are most endangered species parasites and mutualists?}, volume={276}, ISSN={["1471-2954"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-68849094696&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1098/rspb.2009.0413}, abstractNote={The effects of species declines and extinction on biotic interactions remain poorly understood. The loss of a species is expected to result in the loss of other species that depend on it (coextinction), leading to cascading effects across trophic levels. Such effects are likely to be most severe in mutualistic and parasitic interactions. Indeed, models suggest that coextinction may be the most common form of biodiversity loss. Paradoxically, few historical or contemporary coextinction events have actually been recorded. We review the current knowledge of coextinction by: (i) considering plausible explanations for the discrepancy between predicted and observed coextinction rates; (ii) exploring the potential consequences of coextinctions; (iii) discussing the interactions and synergies between coextinction and other drivers of species loss, particularly climate change; and (iv) suggesting the way forward for understanding the phenomenon of coextinction, which may well be the most insidious threat to global biodiversity.}, number={1670}, journal={PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES}, author={Dunn, Robert R. and Harris, Nyeema C. and Colwell, Robert K. and Koh, Lian Pin and Sodhi, Navjot S.}, year={2009}, month={Sep}, pages={3037–3045} }
 @article{harris_kauffman_mills_2008, title={Inferences about ungulate population dynamics derived from age ratios}, volume={72}, ISSN={["1937-2817"]}, DOI={10.2193/2007-277}, abstractNote={Abstract: Age ratios (e.g., calf:cow for elk and fawn:doe for deer) are used regularly to monitor ungulate populations. However, it remains unclear what inferences are appropriate from this index because multiple vital rate changes can influence the observed ratio. We used modeling based on elk (Cervus elaphus) life‐history to evaluate both how age ratios are influenced by stage‐specific fecundity and survival and how well age ratios track population dynamics. Although all vital rates have the potential to influence calf:adult female ratios (i.e., calf:cow ratios), calf survival explained the vast majority of variation in calf:adult female ratios due to its temporal variation compared to other vital rates. Calf:adult female ratios were positively correlated with population growth rate (Λ) and often successfully indicated population trajectories. However, calf:adult female ratios performed poorly at detecting imposed declines in calf survival, suggesting that only the most severe declines would be rapidly detected. Our analyses clarify that managers can use accurate, unbiased age ratios to monitor arguably the most important components contributing to sustainable ungulate populations, survival rate of young and Λ. However, age ratios are not useful for detecting gradual declines in survival of young or making inferences about fecundity or adult survival in ungulate populations. Therefore, age ratios coupled with independent estimates of population growth or population size are necessary to monitor ungulate population demography and dynamics closely through time.}, number={5}, journal={JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT}, author={Harris, Nyeema C. and Kauffman, Matthew J. and Mills, L. Scott}, year={2008}, month={Jul}, pages={1143–1151} }