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Jones W, Reifová R, Reif J, Synek P, Šíma M, Munclinger P. Sympatry in a nightingale contact zone has no effect on host-specific blood parasite prevalence and lineage diversity. Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:357-366. [PMID: 38460721 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Parasites are a key driving force behind many ecological and evolutionary processes. Prevalence and diversity of parasites, as well as their effects on hosts, are not uniform across host species. As such, the potential parasite spillover between species can significantly influence outcomes of interspecific interactions. We screened two species of Luscinia nightingales for haemosporidian blood parasites (Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus) along an approximately 3000 km transect in Europe, incorporating areas of host distant allopatry, close allopatry and sympatry. We found significant differences in infection rates between the two host species, with common nightingales having much lower parasite prevalence than thrush nightingales (36.7% versus 83.8%). This disparity was mostly driven by Haemoproteus prevalence, which was significantly higher in thrush nightingales while common nightingales had a small, but significantly higher, Plasmodium prevalence. Furthermore, we found no effect of proximity to the contact zone on infection rate in either host species. Despite having lower infection prevalence, common nightingales were infected with a significantly higher diversity of parasite lineages than thrush nightingales, and lineage assemblages differed considerably between the two species, even in sympatry. This pattern was mostly driven by the large diversity of comparatively rare lineages, while the most abundant lineages were shared between the two host species. This suggests that, despite the close evolutionary relationships between the two nightingales, there are significant differences in parasite prevalence and diversity, regardless of the distance from the contact zone. This suggests that spillover of haemosporidian blood parasites is unlikely to contribute towards interspecific interactions in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Jones
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Radka Reifová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jiří Reif
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Petr Synek
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia; Biodviser Ltd. Enterprise House 2 Pass Street Oldham, Manchester OL9 6HZ, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Šíma
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia; Department of Nanotoxicology and Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Munclinger
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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Vinagre‐Izquierdo C, Bodawatta KH, Chmel K, Renelies‐Hamilton J, Paul L, Munclinger P, Poulsen M, Jønsson KA. The drivers of avian‐haemosporidian prevalence in tropical lowland forests of New Guinea in three dimensions. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8497. [PMID: 35222943 PMCID: PMC8844478 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemosporidians are among the most common parasites of birds and often negatively impact host fitness. A multitude of biotic and abiotic factors influence these associations, but the magnitude of these factors can differ by spatial scales (i.e., local, regional and global). Consequently, to better understand global and regional drivers of avian‐haemosporidian associations, it is key to investigate these associations at smaller (local) spatial scales. Thus, here, we explore the effect of abiotic variables (e.g., temperature, forest structure, and anthropogenic disturbances) on haemosporidian prevalence and host–parasite networks on a horizontal spatial scale, comparing four fragmented forests and five localities within a continuous forest in Papua New Guinea. Additionally, we investigate if prevalence and host–parasite networks differ between the canopy and the understory (vertical stratification) in one forest patch. We found that the majority of Haemosporidian infections were caused by the genus Haemoproteus and that avian‐haemosporidian networks were more specialized in continuous forests. At the community level, only forest greenness was negatively associated with Haemoproteus infections, while the effects of abiotic variables on parasite prevalence differed between bird species. Haemoproteus prevalence levels were significantly higher in the canopy, and an opposite trend was observed for Plasmodium. This implies that birds experience distinct parasite pressures depending on the stratum they inhabit, likely driven by vector community differences. These three‐dimensional spatial analyses of avian‐haemosporidians at horizontal and vertical scales suggest that the effect of abiotic variables on haemosporidian infections are species specific, so that factors influencing community‐level infections are primarily driven by host community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Vinagre‐Izquierdo
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
- Section for Ecology and Evolution Department of Biology University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - Kasun H. Bodawatta
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Kryštof Chmel
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Sciences University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | | | - Luda Paul
- New Guinea Binatang Research Centre Madang Papua New Guinea
| | - Pavel Munclinger
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution Department of Biology University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Knud A. Jønsson
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
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3
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Rodríguez-Hernández K, Álvarez-Mendizábal P, Chapa-Vargas L, Escobar F, González-García F, Santiago-Alarcon D. Haemosporidian prevalence, parasitaemia and aggregation in relation to avian assemblage life history traits at different elevations. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:365-378. [PMID: 33454363 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The transmission of vector-borne protozoa such as parasites of the Order Haemosporida is dependent on both biotic and abiotic factors such as host life history traits and environmental conditions. This study aimed to identify the variables that determine haemosporidian prevalence, parasitaemia and aggregation within the context of elevation and avian life history traits in Central Veracruz, Mexico. We sampled 607 birds from 88 species; we used microscopy and the mtDNA cytochrome b gene to detect parasites. We found an overall prevalence of 32.3%. Haemosporidian prevalence was 21.6% in tropical sub-deciduous forest (at sea level), 38% in tropical deciduous forest (265 m above sea level (asl)), 19.4% in montane cloud forest (1630 m asl), and 51.7% in pine-oak forest (2790 m asl). The prevalence of each parasite genus was strongly influenced by elevation (a proxy of habitat type). Plasmodium showed the highest prevalence at low elevation. Haemoproteus increased in prevalence with elevation. Leucocytozoon displayed the highest prevalence at the highest elevation (pine-oak forest). Haemoproteus spp. and Leucocytozoon spp. prevalences were higher in open cup than in closed nests. Haemoproteus prevalence and haemosporidian parasitaemia were lower in solitary birds than birds with pairing and gregarious behavior. Haemosporidian aggregation decreased with elevation, yielding the significantly lowest values at the pine-oak forest. Elevation distribution patterns of prevalence for each genus were similar to those previously reported in other geographical areas (e.g., South America, Europe).
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Rodríguez-Hernández
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, C.P. 91073 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Paulina Álvarez-Mendizábal
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, C.P. 91073 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P. 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Leonardo Chapa-Vargas
- Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A. C., Camino a la Presa San José 2055, Colonia Lomas 4ª Sección, 78216 San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Federico Escobar
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, C.P. 91073 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Fernando González-García
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, C.P. 91073 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Diego Santiago-Alarcon
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, C.P. 91073 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
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Clark NJ, Drovetski SV, Voelker G. Robust geographical determinants of infection prevalence and a contrasting latitudinal diversity gradient for haemosporidian parasites in Western Palearctic birds. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:3131-3143. [PMID: 32652721 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Identifying robust environmental predictors of infection probability is central to forecasting and mitigating the ongoing impacts of climate change on vector-borne disease threats. We applied phylogenetic hierarchical models to a data set of 2,171 Western Palearctic individual birds from 47 species to determine how climate and landscape variation influence infection probability for three genera of haemosporidian blood parasites (Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium). Our comparative models found compelling evidence that birds in areas with higher vegetation density (captured by the normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]) had higher likelihoods of carrying parasite infection. Magnitudes of this relationship were remarkably similar across parasite genera considering that these parasites use different arthropod vectors and are widely presumed to be epidemiologically distinct. However, we also uncovered key differences among genera that highlighted complexities in their climate responses. In particular, prevalences of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium showed strong but contrasting relationships with winter temperatures, supporting mounting evidence that winter warming is a key environmental filter impacting the dynamics of host-parasite interactions. Parasite phylogenetic community diversities demonstrated a clear but contrasting latitudinal gradient, with Haemoproteus diversity increasing towards the equator and Leucocytozoon diversity increasing towards the poles. Haemoproteus diversity also increased in regions with higher vegetation density, supporting our evidence that summer vegetation density is important for structuring the distributions of these parasites. Ongoing variation in winter temperatures and vegetation characteristics will probably have far-reaching consequences for the transmission and spread of vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Clark
- UQ Spatial Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sergei V Drovetski
- US Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Gary Voelker
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Santiago-Alarcon D, MacGregor-Fors I, Falfán I, Lüdtke B, Segelbacher G, Schaefer HM, Renner S. Parasites in space and time: a case study of haemosporidian spatiotemporal prevalence in urban birds. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:235-246. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Slagsvold T, Wiebe KL. Immigrants and locally recruited birds differ in prey delivered to their offspring in blue tits and great tits. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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7
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Abella-Medrano CA, Ibáñez-Bernal S, Carbó-Ramírez P, Santiago-Alarcon D. Blood-meal preferences and avian malaria detection in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) captured at different land use types within a neotropical montane cloud forest matrix. Parasitol Int 2018; 67:313-320. [PMID: 29408493 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Antonio Abella-Medrano
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351 El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico; Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351 El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico
| | - Sergio Ibáñez-Bernal
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351 El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico
| | - Pilar Carbó-Ramírez
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351 El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico
| | - Diego Santiago-Alarcon
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351 El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico.
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Environmental determinants of haemosporidian parasite prevalence in a declining population of Tree swallows. Parasitology 2017; 145:961-970. [PMID: 29166965 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017002128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of vector-borne parasites such as haemosporidian species is influenced by several environmental factors. While the negative effects of parasitism on hosts are well documented, these can also be amplified by interactions with environmental stressors, many of which are anthropogenic. Yet, we know little about the possible effects of anthropogenic perturbations on parasite prevalence. The goals of this study were to assess the prevalence and environmental determinants of haemosporidian parasites in a declining population of Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) living in an agricultural landscape in southern Québec, Canada. Overall, a low prevalence and a moderate lineage diversity were identified in both adults and nestlings, confirming that transmission can occur during the breeding period. Anthropic areas, extensive cultures (hayfields and pastures) and forest cover within 500 km of nest boxes, as well as daily temperature fluctuations, were all related to infection by haemosporidian parasites. These findings suggest that anthropogenic alterations of landscape composition can modulate the prevalence of haemosporidian parasites in Tree swallows. Our results represent a baseline for future comparative studies assessing haemosporidian parasite prevalence in human-modified landscapes.
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Carbó-Ramírez P, Zuria I, Schaefer H, Santiago-Alarcon D. Avian haemosporidians at three environmentally contrasting urban greenspaces. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juw011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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10
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Jenkins T, Delhaye J, Christe P. Testing Local Adaptation in a Natural Great Tit-Malaria System: An Experimental Approach. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141391. [PMID: 26555892 PMCID: PMC4640884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding out whether Plasmodium spp. are coevolving with their vertebrate hosts is of both theoretical and applied interest and can influence our understanding of the effects and dynamics of malaria infection. In this study, we tested for local adaptation as a signature of coevolution between malaria blood parasites, Plasmodium spp. and its host, the great tit, Parus major. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment of birds in the field, where we exposed birds from two populations to Plasmodium parasites. This experimental set-up also provided a unique opportunity to study the natural history of malaria infection in the wild and to assess the effects of primary malaria infection on juvenile birds. We present three main findings: i) there was no support for local adaptation; ii) there was a male-biased infection rate; iii) infection occurred towards the end of the summer and differed between sites. There were also site-specific effects of malaria infection on the hosts. Taken together, we present one of the few experimental studies of parasite-host local adaptation in a natural malaria system, and our results shed light on the effects of avian malaria infection in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Jenkins
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Delhaye
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Brown GP, Kelehear C, Pizzatto L, Shine R. The impact of lungworm parasites on rates of dispersal of their anuran host, the invasive cane toad. Biol Invasions 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-015-0993-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Avian haemosporidian parasites in an urban forest and their relationship to bird size and abundance. Urban Ecosyst 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-015-0494-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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13
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Clark NJ, Adlard RD, Clegg SM. Molecular and morphological characterization of Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) ptilotis, a parasite infecting Australian honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), with remarks on prevalence and potential cryptic speciation. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:1921-8. [PMID: 25855347 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4380-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Avian Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) parasites occur in birds on all continents apart from Antarctica. Molecular screening techniques have uncovered previously unforeseen levels of Haemoproteus lineage diversity; however, fewer than 20% of genetic parasite lineages have been linked to morphological descriptions. The process of linking morphological descriptions to DNA barcodes for Haemoproteus spp. is important for the study of host-parasite interactions and the potential for cryptic speciation. Here, we describe cytochrome-b barcodes and morphological diagnostics for the identification of Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) ptilotis, a systematically confusing parasite found in Australian honeyeaters (family Meliphagidae). We characterised infections from the original type host (Lichenostomus chrysops; Family Meliphagidae) as well as from four co-occurring meliphagid species in southeast Queensland, Australia, to investigate intraspecific variation in morphology and lineage identity. We recorded eight lineages that grouped into a well-supported monophyletic group, supporting the linkage of the described lineages to H. ptilotis. However, comparisons of diagnostics between the type host and co-occurring meliphagid hosts revealed high genetic diversity and variable morphology that could be indicative of cryptic speciation. This study highlights that morphological descriptions alongside molecular characterisation remain crucial if we are to gain an understanding of the true diversity and host specificity of protozoan parasites in Australia and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Clark
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia,
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