Mingbo Yin

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MSc Mingbo Yin

Section of Evolutionary Biology
LMU BioCenter
Grosshaderner Str. 2
82152 Planegg-Martinsried
Germany
Room B 02.005

Tel. national: 089/218074 - 206
international: +49 89 218074 - 206

My PhD thesis

Red Queen dynamics in Daphnia, the role of variable environment

This project is looking for the evidences of the Red Queen dynamics hypothesis, which argues that sexual organisms can outcompete asexual ones because parasites adapt to common genotypes and prevent them from fixation. We are looking for Red Queen dynamics in nature by studying a crustacean waterflea host (Daphnia) - microparasite system, using intensive field sampling and 15 advanced genetic markers (Microsatellite DNA). We will seek experimental supports for evolution of parasite pools. Further, we will focus on genetic specificity of host-parasite interaction to their ecology. Next, we will seek spatial evidences of conevolutionry “hot spots” and “cold spots” within a lake to investigate the heterogeneous environmental impacts on the parasite selection (and Red Queen dynamics). At last, we will explore how the environmental variation (predator threat) alters the response of host genotypes to parasite-mediated selection.