An American university will join forces with Mongolian universities to study the diverse biology found in Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park in southern Mongolia.

Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will work with the National University of Mongolia to study the biodiversity of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and their parasites in Mongolia. 

Called the Mongolian Vertebrate Parasite Project for UNL, Scott L. Gardner, curator of the H.W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology at the University of Nebraska will lead the project.  

In a statement released by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the program goals are described as, “…by understanding which parasites these animals harbor, researchers will have a better idea of the habits and interactions of these animals, and identify emerging threats to wildlife or local people, Gardner said. For example, researchers will examine the wildlife population for the presence of parasites and viruses that can be agents of disease, including hantavirus and tapeworms.”

Researchers and students will spend three years exploring the 10,800-square-mile park to better understand the diversity of species and the parasites that live in this area, and how they interact with each other and their environment, according to university officials.

mongolia-web.com

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