University of Vermont ScholarWorks @ UVM Graduate College Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2015 Effects of hybridization and life history tradeoffs on pathogen resistance in the Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex) Yainna M. Hernaiz-Hernandez University of Vermont Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Hernaiz-Hernandez, Yainna M., "Effects of hybridization and life history tradeoffs on pathogen resistance in the Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex)" (2015). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 518. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/518 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at ScholarWorks @ UVM. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate College Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ UVM. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. EFFECTS OF HYBRIDIZATION AND LIFE HISTORY TRADEOFFS ON PATHOGEN RESISTANCE IN THE HARVESTER ANTS (POGONOMY RMEX) A Thesis Presented by Yainna Hernáiz-Hernández to The Faculty of the Graduate College of The University of Vermont In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science Specializing in Biology May, 2015 Defense Date: March 26, 2015 Thesis Examination Committee: Sara Helms Cahan, Ph.D., Advisor Douglas Johnson, Ph.D., Chairperson Joseph Schall, Ph.D., Emeriti Faculty Cynthia J. Forehand, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate College ABSTRACT A fundamental challenge faced by all organisms is the risk of infection by pathogens that can significantly reduce their fitness. The evolutionary dynamic between hosts and pathogens is expected to be a coevolutionary cycle, as pathogens evolve by increasing their level of virulence and hosts respond by increasing their level of resistance.