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Publication Date

2022-05-09

First Advisor

Laura A. Katz

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Biological Sciences

Abstract

Protists, or single-celled eukaryotic microbes, are known to exist in a variety of environments, where they play important roles in their ecosystems. Most protists are understudied, and there is still much to learn about their diversity and global distribution. Although many studies have touched upon the patterns of distribution of protists between different environments, few have explored the possible mechanisms behind protist dispersal. Some theories include wind dispersal or bird-mediated dispersal, mechanisms that have been well documented as modes of long-distance seed dispersal in plants. In this study, I explore the protist communities on birds’ feet and feathers, focusing on two major groups of protists: SAR and Arcellinida. I obtained bird swab samples for DNA and RNA-based protist detection, and followed previously documented methods to amplify and identify protists. Through this work, I aim to investigate the possibility of birds as vectors for protists, and I aim to explore the patterns and differences of SAR community composition between seven bird species and eleven individual birds. The results of this study show the presence of both SAR and Arcellinida on birds’ feet and feathers, raising the possibility that protists are aided in their long-distance dispersal by bird movements and migration. SAR communities were the more diverse and abundant group found on the birds in my study and showed some trends between variability in the SAR community composition based on swab site (feet or feathers) and bird size. This study demonstrates the need for additional research on this topic, as the relationships between protists and bird hosts appear complex. These questions will be increasingly important in the face of climate change, as the rate and pattern of protist dispersal may be impacted as climate change interrupts and alters birds’ migration patterns.

Rights

©2022 Clara Slesar. Access limited to the Smith College community and other researchers while on campus. Smith College community members also may access from off-campus using a Smith College log-in. Other off-campus researchers may request a copy through Interlibrary Loan for personal use.

Language

English

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