** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY IS CONSIDERED A GREAT RISK TO THE HEALTH OF NATURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS HUMANITY. ONE WAY LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY NEGATIVELY AFFECTS BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES IS BY EXACERBATING THE IMPACTS OF SHARED INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BUMBLE BEES ARE KEY POLLINATORS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANY CROPS AND FOR MAINTAINING MANY WILD PLANT SPECIES. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME BUMBLE BEE SPECIES ARE EXPERIENCING SHARP DECLINES, WITH PARASITES AND PATHOGENS AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. BECAUSE SOME PARASITES ARE SHARED BETWEEN MANY BEE SPECIES, HAVING FEWER SPECIES IN A COMMUNITY MIGHT AFFECT HOW THE PARASITE EVOLVES AND ITS ABILITY TO INFECT CERTAIN POLLINATORS. THE COMMON EASTERN BUMBLE BEE IS A HIGHLY ABUNDANT BUMBLE BEE SPECIES IN THE EASTERN US. BECAUSE IT'S SO COMMON, IT MAY INFLUENCE HOW PARASITES SPREADIN POLLINATOR SPECIES INCLUDING AT RISK BEE POPULATIONS. BUMBLE BEES ARE OFTEN INFECTED BY A COMMONGUT PARASITETHAT ALSO INFECTS MANY OTHER POLLINATORS AND ISSHOWN TO HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON ITS PRIMARY HOSTS, BUMBLE BEES. UNDERSTANDING HOW THEDIFFERENT TYPES OF BEES IN APOLLINATOR COMMUNITYCAN AFFECT INFECTION IN BUMBLE BEESIS ESSENTIAL FOR CONSERVING NATIVE BEE POLLINATORS AND POLLINATION SERVICES.I WILL ASSESS HOW THE NUMBER OF SPECIES IN A POLLINATOR COMMUNITY AFFECTS THE ABILITY OF A PARASITE TO INFECT AND DAMAGE BUMBLE BEES AND OTHER NATIVE BEE SPECIES. I WILL SAMPLE THE GUT PARASITE FROM COMMUNITIES DIFFERING IN BEE DIVERSITY TO FIND OUT HOW WELL IT INFECTS THE COMMON EASTERN BUMBLEBEE AND OTHER BEE SPECIES. IN ADDITION, I WILL ASSESS HOW THE GUT PARASITE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF THE COMMON EASTERN BUMBLE BEE. ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOST-PARASITE INTERACTIONS IN POLLINATOR COMMUNITIES WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF DIVERSITY LOSS AND INFORM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES SUPPORTING POLLINATOR DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURAL SETTINGS.