Evolving to Fight Epidemics: Weakness Can Be an Advantage
Less resistance can sometimes be better than more–at least in a freshwater lake
When battling a deadly parasite epidemic, less resistance can sometimes be better than more, a new study suggests.
A freshwater zooplankton species known as Daphnia dentifera endures periodic epidemics of a virulent yeast parasite that can infect more than 60 percent of the Daphnia population. (more…)