About Zoe Hunter

I am interested in how available water sources may be limited by risk of infectious diseases. Utilizing field surveys within the Rio Grande Nature Center and laboratory methods with an emphasis on molecular techniques, I will characterize trematode parasites that are transmitted by the aquatic snail Physella acuta and investigate how prevalence and life span of infected snails lead to reduced water quality by potential disease transmission to local fauna. The collected data can be useful in future considerations of natural resource management; I am grateful for the ASSURE program's support in my research endeavor.