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Biodiversity and the Parasite-Driven-Wedge Model
The parasite-driven-wedge model proposes that infectious diseases cause biodiversity, creating divergence between cultures. The process involves a culture having homogeneous views, phenotypes and immunity which will be altered through the invasion of parasites. Thus, over time the parasites will infect individuals, leading to these parasite-hosts to create distinctions between them and other members of the culture or species. This is due to the parasite-hosts developing differences in immunity, in order to adapt to the parasite that has invaded them, in turn leading to the emergence of new parasites. Following this, spatial variations across species and cultures will begin to emerge through natural selection, which will favour those whose alleles will allow them to have immunity against lcoal parasitic diseases. Finally leading to people having differences in their anti-pathogen values and these preferences will reflect their behaviours. Therefore, an in-group will be created who value similar preferences in order to avoid those who may transfer novel pathogens and develop relations with those who will increase their protection against the effects of parasite infections.