Postdoctoral Researcher

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Dr. Farah Ishtiaq

Dr. Farah Ishtiaq

Details

Name: Dr. Farah Ishtiaq
Position: Postdoctoral researcher
Email: farah.ishtiaq@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Autobiography

I studied zoology and PhD in Wildlife Science at Aligarh Muslim University, India (1994-1998). Then I worked with Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai as research scientist on critically endangered Forest Spotted Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) and continued as National Coordinator for IBA and IBCN programme(1998-2002). I moved to Genetics Programme, Smithsonian Institution as postdoctoral researcher on avian malaria in introduced birds to Hawaii (2002-2005). My interest in island biogepgraphy and Host-parasite systems brought me to EGI in September 2005 as postdoctoral researcher and recently I have been awarded International Incoming Marie Curie Fellowship to explore Host-parasite systems and colonization in South Pacific Islands.

Research Activities

Host-parasite systems has been implicated for the decline and extinction of many native Hawaiian avian species. The South Pacific islands are home to a huge number of endemic bird species: in the Melanesian region ( New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji), 196 of 370 species are endemic thus inherently at risk due to their restricted ranges. The extent to which pathogens and vectors have been transported from mainland sources and transmitted between native and introduced species has remained unexplored.

My current research aims to investigate the degree to which Host-parasite systems has invaded the Southern Pacific Islands and assess the future risk to the remote Melanesian avifauna based on host colonization histories and current genetic diversity. Members of the silvereye species complex (Zosterops) provide a unique model system to explore this question. This family contains more successful island colonizers than any other passerine group. Because of this exceptional colonizing ability and recent, and ongoing, detailed study of the population genetics of these populations, this group provides an ideal candidate to explore the pattern of host-parasite coevolution on the South Pacific Island system.

We conducted a pilot study on the populations from Australian Zosterops lateralis familiaris and neighbouring islands by subspecies on New Zealand (South and North islands), Chatham Island and Norfolk Island, with Tasmania as the ancestral source population. The sequence of colonization is well documented on these islands.

Preliminary analysis of the samples collected from these populations suggests high malaria prevalence (c. 40%, n=211) and at least nine unique lineages (see Fig ). I will expand this study to other Melanesian islands of New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji by collecting samples from other silvereye populations, where extensive sharing of subspecies between islands occurs. This involves a survey for the vector and the parasite lineages on several islands and subsequently, an analysis of the distribution of parasite lineages with respect to vector and host subspecies to determine the extent to which parasites are constrained in transmission among islands. To relate island colonization history and divergence within host populations with parasite diversity and colonization history.

Neighbourjoining tree of the malaria parasite lineages in Silvereyes and other host species in South Pacific Islands.

Figure: Neighbourjoining tree of the malaria parasite lineages in Silvereyes and other host species in South Pacific Islands.

Selected Recent Papers

Jon S. Beadell, Farah Ishtiaq, Rita Covas, Martim Melo, Ben H. Warren, Carter T. Atkinson, Staffan Bensch, Gary R. Graves, Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Mike A. Peirce, Asad R. Rahmani, Dina M. Fonseca, Robert C. Fleischer. Global phylogeographic limits of Hawaii's Host-parasite systems. Proc. Royal Soc. B.

Ishtiaq, F ., Beadell, J. S., Baker, A. J. , Rahmani, A. R., Jhala, Y. V. & Fleischer, R. C. 2006. Prevalence and evolutionary relationships of haematozoan parasites in native versus introduced populations of common myna Acridotheres tristis. Proc. Royal Soc. B. 273: 587-594.

Ishtiaq, F . J. Beadell, E. Gering, M. Peirce, J. Rappole, M. Peirce, C. Dove, C. Milensky & R. Fleischer (in Press) Prevalence and diversity of avian haematozoan parasites in Asia: a regional survey. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

Durrant, K. L., Beadell, J.S., Ishtiaq, F., Graves, G. R., Olson, S. L., Gering, E., Peirce, M., Milensky, C.M., Schmidt, B. K. & Fleischer, R. C. (in Press) avian malaria in South America: a comparison of temperate and tropical zones. Ornithological monographs

Ishtiaq, F. and Rahmani, A.R. 2005. The Forest Owlet Heteroglauxblewitti: Vocalization, breeding biology and conservation. Ibis. 147:197-205.

Ishtiaq, F. , Rahmani, A. R., Javed, S. & Coulter, M. C. 2004. Nest-site characteristics of Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus and Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. Vol 101 (1):90-95.

Ishtiaq, F. , Rahmani, A.R. & Rasmussen, P. C. 2002. Ecology and behaviour of the Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti). In Newton, I., Kavanagh, R.P., Olsen, J. & Taylor, I.R. 2002. Ecology and Conservation of Owls. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing. Pp. 80-88.

Ishtiaq, F. and Rahmani, A. R. 2000. Further information on the status and distribution of Forest Owlet Athene blewitti in India.Forktail(16): 125-130.

Ishtiaq, F. and Rahmani, A. R. 2000. Cronism in Forest Spotted Owlet Athene blewitti. Forktail(16): 172-173.