It is common knowledge that different plant individuals have dissimilar pathogen resistance. Based on the random convergence of their parent’s genes, some plants are more fit than others, as some of the passed down genetic information encodes for proteins and enzymes that are involved in an immune response. This facet of disease and parasite ecology usually ends here, with scientists locating regions of the genome contributing to enhanced resistance. Though, Heather Slinn and her team in December 2016 took this a few steps further, and studied how disease resistance against a fungal pathogen translated up the food chain to predatory spiders.

The fungus this study focused on is from the pathogenic genus Taphrina. Taphrina sp. cause leaf blistering that ultimately render leaf tissue functionless. The ascomycete fungus has two morphological phases that differ ecologically. The yeast state is saprophytic, consuming dead organic material, while the filamentous sexual state is strictly phytoparasitic, infecting and breaking down living plant tissue. The genus is comprised of nearly 100 species, but the species of focus in this study infect only leaves, and no other plant tissue.