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Salido A, Veiga J, Reyes-López JL, Valera F. Context-dependent insect predation pressure on an avian ectoparasite. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1784-1797. [PMID: 36932947 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Context dependence arises when ecological relationships vary with the conditions under which they are observed. Context dependence of interactions involving parasites is poorly known, even if it is key to understanding host-parasite relationships and food web dynamics. This paper investigates to which extent predation pressure on an avian ectoparasite (Carnus hemapterus) is context-dependent. Based on a predator-exclusion experiment, predation pressure on C. hemapterus pupae in the host's nest for 3 years, and its variation between habitat types are quantified. Variation in precipitation and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is also explored as a likely cause of context dependency. We hypothesize that predation pressure should fluctuate with such surrogates of food availability, so that inter-annual and intra-annual differences may emerge. The number of nests with significant reduction of pupae varied widely among years ranging from 24% to 75%. However, average pupae reduction in nests where a significant reduction occurred did not vary between years. No differences in predation rates between habitat types were detected. Precipitation and NDVI varied widely between years and NDVI was consistently lower around nests on cliffs than around nests on trees and farmhouses. Parallels were found between variation in predation pressure and precipitation/NDVI at a wide scale (highest predation the driest year, and much lower the 2 rainier ones), but not at the nest scale. This paper shows clear context-dependent insect predation pressure on an ectoparasite under natural conditions, and that such interaction changes in signs rather than magnitude between years. The causes for these variations require longer-term studies and/or well-designed, large-scale experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Salido
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Jesús Veiga
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- MEMEG, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Francisco Valera
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
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Drivers of the Ectoparasite Community and Co-Infection Patterns in Rural and Urban Burrowing Owls. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081141. [PMID: 36009768 PMCID: PMC9405203 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary We analyzed the ectoparasite community of a monomorphic and non-social bird, the burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia, breeding in rural and urban habitats. Such community was composed by two lice, one mite and one flea species. Rural individuals had more fleas and less mites than urban ones. Adult birds harbored less ectoparasites than young ones and females harbored more lice than males. The presence of lice was positively related to the presence of fleas. On the contrary, the presence of mites was negatively related to the presence of fleas and lice. The study of parasite communities in urban and rural populations of the same species can shed light on how urban stressor factors impact the physiology of wildlife inhabiting cities and, therefore, the host-parasite relationships. Abstract Urbanization creates new ecological conditions that can affect biodiversity at all levels, including the diversity and prevalence of parasites of species that may occupy these environments. However, few studies have compared bird–ectoparasite interactions between urban and rural individuals. Here, we analyze the ectoparasite community and co-infection patterns of urban and rural burrowing owls, Athene cunicularia, to assess the influence of host traits (i.e., sex, age, and weight), and environmental factors (i.e., number of conspecifics per nest, habitat type and aridity) on its composition. Ectoparasites of burrowing owls included two lice, one flea, and one mite. The overall prevalence for mites, lice and fleas was 1.75%, 8.76% and 3.50%, respectively. A clear pattern of co-infection was detected between mites and fleas and, to less extent, between mites and lice. Adult owls harbored fewer ectoparasites than nestlings, and adult females harbored more lice than males. Our results also show that mite and flea numbers were higher when more conspecifics cohabited the same burrow, while lice showed the opposite pattern. Rural individuals showed higher flea parasitism and lower mite parasitism than urban birds. Moreover, mite numbers were negatively correlated with aridity and host weight. Although the ectoparasitic load of burrowing owls appears to be influenced by individual age, sex, number of conspecifics per nest, and habitat characteristics, the pattern of co-infection found among ectoparasites could also be mediated by unexplored factors such as host immune response, which deserves further research.
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Effects on ectoparasites and nestling body condition of experimental modification of relative humidity in nest cavities of European rollers Coracias garrulus in an arid environment. Parasitology 2022; 149:436-443. [PMID: 35166204 PMCID: PMC10090615 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182022000026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Climate change effects on host–parasite interactions have been poorly studied in arid or semi-arid habitats. Here, we conducted an experiment aimed to increase the temperature inside European roller Coracias garrulus nest boxes located in a semi-arid habitat on different nest-site types to look for effects on different ectoparasite abundances and nestling growth. Average nest temperature was slightly higher in heated nests than in control nests, although differences were not statistically significant. However, relative humidity was significantly lower at night in heated nests as compared to control nests. The abundance of sand flies, mites and carnid flies was significantly higher in heated, less humid, nests while biting midge abundance was significantly lower in heated nests. Other ectoparasites were not significantly affected by treatment. Relative humidity was high even in heated nests, reaching more than 60%. Sand fly abundance was higher in nests located in sandstone walls, while mite abundance was higher in isolated farmhouses. In addition, sand fly prevalence was higher in nests located in isolated farmhouses and sandstone walls. Heat treatment, nest-site type or ectoparasite abundances did not affect the nestling body mass, wing length or their growth at different nestling ages.
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Gameiro J, Veiga J, Valera F, Palmeirim JM, Catry I. Influence of colony traits on ectoparasite infestation in birds breeding in mixed-species colonies. Parasitology 2021; 148:904-912. [PMID: 33729107 PMCID: PMC11010175 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021000470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Coloniality in birds is often associated with an increase in parasite burden, but whether the co-occurrence of several host species influences the prevalence and abundance of ectoparasites and their relationship with colony size or density remains poorly known. Here, we studied mixed-species breeding colonies formed after the provision of artificial breeding structures for restoring the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) population in Portugal, to investigate the influence of colony traits on ectoparasite infestation. We sampled four groups of ectoparasites (carnid flies, haematophagous mites, louse flies and chewing lice) in four hosts: lesser kestrels, European rollers (Coracias garrulus), feral pigeons (Columba livia) and spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor). Each host species had a distinct infracommunity of ectoparasites, regardless of colony traits such as size, density or host richness. The abundance of the most common ectoparasite, Carnus hemapterus, was influenced by colony composition – number of nests of each host species – rather than by colony size or density, with its abundance being diluted with increasing numbers of less suitable hosts such as starlings. The increased contact between multiple species of hosts in breeding colonies may complexify host–parasite interactions and challenge our current knowledge on the ecological relationships between host sociality and parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Gameiro
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jesús Veiga
- Departmento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Francisco Valera
- Departmento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Jorge M. Palmeirim
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês Catry
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwhich, UK
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Off-host longevity of the winged dispersal stage of Carnus hemapterus (Insecta: Diptera) modulated by gender, body size and food provisioning. Parasitology 2018; 146:241-245. [PMID: 30086815 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018001300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Highlighting the dispersal ecology of parasites is important for understanding epidemiological, demographic and coevolutionary aspects of host-parasite interactions. Yet, critical aspects of the dispersal stage of parasites, such as longevity and the factors influencing it, are poorly known. Here we study the lifespan of the dispersal stage of an ectoparasitic dipteran, Carnus hemapterus, and the impact of gender, body size and food provisioning on longevity. We found that freshly emerged imagoes survive at most less than 4 days. Longevity increased with body size and, since this parasite exhibits sexual size dimorphism, the bigger females lived longer than males. However, controlling for body size suggests that males lived relatively longer than females. Furthermore, a humid environment and food provisioning (flowers) significantly increased individual life spans. We discuss the relative importance of spatial and temporal dispersal in relation to the infectious potential of this parasite.
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Defining host range: host-parasite compatibility during the non-infective phase of the parasite also matters. Parasitology 2018; 146:234-240. [PMID: 30066668 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018001233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Host range and parasite specificity determine key epidemiological, ecological and evolutionary aspects of host-parasite interactions. Parasites are usually classified as generalists or specialists based on the number of hosts they feed on. Yet, the requirements of the various stages of a parasite may influence the suitability of a given host species. Here, we investigate the generalist nature of three common ectoparasites (the dipteran Carnus hemapterus and two species of louse flies, Pseudolynchia canariensis and Ornithophila metallica), exploiting two avian host species (the European roller Coracias garrulus and the Rock pigeon Columba livia), that frequently occupy the same breeding sites. We explore the prevalence and abundance of both the infective and the puparial stages of the ectoparasites in both host species. Strong preferences of Pseudolynchia canariensis for pigeons and of Carnus hemapterus for rollers were found. Moderate prevalence of Ornithophila metallica was found in rollers but this louse fly avoided pigeons. In some cases, the infestation patterns observed for imagoes and puparia were consistent whereas in other cases host preferences inferred from imagoes differed from the ones suggested by puparia. We propose that the adult stages of these ectoparasites are more specialist than reported and that the requirements of non-infective stages can restrict the effective host range of some parasites.
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Václav R, Valera F. Host preference of a haematophagous avian ectoparasite: a micronutrient supplementation experiment to test an evolutionary trade-off. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Radovan Václav
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Francisco Valera
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra. de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de S. Urbano, Almería, Spain
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Coexistence, habitat associations and puparia description of three dipteran species of the Family Carnidae. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1017/pao.2017.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Differentiation of niche by means of resource partitioning facilitates coexistence of species with similar requirements. Here we analyse the association between different habitats (i.e. nest types) and two Diptera species of the poorly known Family Carnidae that coexist during their larval and pupal stage in the nests of troglodytic bird species. We also describe for the first time the puparium of Hemeromyia anthracina and Hemeromyia longirostris and offer morphometric data of the puparia of these two species and of Carnus hemapterus. Both the smaller size and the occurrence of well-developed spiracles allow easy discrimination of the puparium of C. hemapterus. The puparia of both Hemeromyia species is very similar and only differ in the distance between the small spiracles. Hemeromyia anthracina and C. hemapterus coexisted in nest boxes but the former species did not occur in natural sandy cavities where, in turn, C. hemapterus was highly prevalent. Carnus hemapterus prevalence did not differ between nest boxes and natural cavities but its abundance was higher in the first type of nest. This study shows clear associations of the two dipteran species with specific types of nests. Yet, some conditions are seemingly acceptable for both species.
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Václav R, Betáková T, Švančarová P, Pérez-Serrano J, Criado-Fornelio Á, Škorvanová L, Valera F. Nest ecology of blood parasites in the European roller and its ectoparasitic carnid fly. Exp Parasitol 2016; 165:71-80. [PMID: 26993083 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Haemosporidian parasites are considered the most important vector-borne parasites. However, vector identity and ecology is unknown for most such host-vector-parasite systems. In this study, we employ microscopic and molecular analyses to examine haemosporidian prevalence in a migratory, cavity-nesting bird, European roller Coracias garrulus, and its nidicolous blood-feeding ectoparasite Carnus hemapterus. This system is unique in that the ectoparasite is confined to a near-closed environment, in contrast to the free-wandering system of haematophagous dipterans such as mosquitoes. Blood film analysis confirms previous works in that Haemoproteus parasites are widely prevalent in adult rollers and belong to a single species, Haemoproteus coraciae. Leucocytozoon sp. and Trypanosoma sp. also are detected in adult rollers at low intensities with this technique. By means of molecular analysis, we report for the first time Plasmodium sp. presence in C. garrulus. Based on PCR results, Plasmodium parasites are relatively less prevalent than Haemoproteus parasites (20% vs. 31%) in rollers. In contrast, haemosporidian prevalences show the opposite trend for Carnus flies: Plasmodium sp. occurrence (62%) clearly predominates over that of Haemoproteus sp. (5%). A comparison between roller and Carnus samples reveals a significantly higher prevalence of Plasmodium sp. in Carnus samples. Insect survey and phylogenetic analysis suggest Culicoides flies as Haemoproteus sp. vectors, which appear to readily transmit the parasite in southern Spain. This study does not find support for Carnus flies to serve as biological or mechanical vectors of haemosporidians. In spite of this, nidicolous blood-feeding ectoparasites, such as carnid flies, appear as a suitable model for studies on the occurrence and temporal dynamics of avian haemosporidians such as Plasmodium sp. present at low intensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radovan Václav
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-84506 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Tatiana Betáková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Petra Švančarová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jorge Pérez-Serrano
- Parasitology Laboratory, Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Alcalá, ES-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Criado-Fornelio
- Parasitology Laboratory, Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Alcalá, ES-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucia Škorvanová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK-84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Francisco Valera
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC) Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, ES-04120, Almería, Spain
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Brown GP, Kelehear C, Shilton CM, Phillips BL, Shine R. Stress and immunity at the invasion front: a comparison across cane toad (Rhinella marina) populations. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory P. Brown
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Crystal Kelehear
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Apartado 0843-03092 Balboa Ancon Republic of Panama
| | - Catherine M. Shilton
- Berrimah Veterinary Laboratories; Northern Territory, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries; Berrimah NT 0828 Australia
| | | | - Rick Shine
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
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Colombo VC, Nava S, Antoniazzi LR, Monje LD, Racca AL, Guglielmone AA, Beldomenico PM. Ecology of the interaction between Ixodes loricatus (Acari: Ixodidae) and Akodon azarae (Rodentia: Criceridae). Parasitol Res 2015; 114:3683-91. [PMID: 26122994 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4596-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present study explores associations of different factors (i.e. host parameters, presence of other ectoparasites and [mainly biotic] environmental factors) with burdens of Ixodes loricatus immature stages in one of its main hosts in Argentina, the rodent Akodon azarae. For 2 years, rodents were trapped and sampled monthly at 16 points located in four different sites in the Parana River Delta region. Data were analysed with generalized linear mixed models with a negative binomial response (counts of larvae or nymphs). The independent variables assessed were (a) environmental: trapping year, presence of cattle, type of vegetation, rodent abundance; (b) host parameters: body length, sex, body condition, blood cell counts, natural antibody titers and (c) co-infestation with other ectoparasites. Two-way interaction terms deemed a priori as relevant were also included in the analysis. Most of the associations investigated were found significant, but in general, the direction and magnitude of the associations were context-dependent. An exception was the presence of cattle, which was consistently negatively associated with both larvae and nymphs independently of all other variables considered and had the strongest effect on tick burdens. Mites, fleas and Amblyomma triste were also significantly associated (mostly positively) with larval and nymph burdens, and in many cases, they influenced associations with environmental or host factors. Our findings strongly support that raising cattle may have a substantial impact on the dynamics of I. loricatus and that interactions within the ectoparasite community may be an important-but generally ignored-driver of tick dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria C Colombo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades (LEcEn), ICiVet, UNL-CONICET, RP Kreder 2805, CP 3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Factors affecting patterns of Amblyomma triste (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitism in a rodent host. Vet Parasitol 2015; 211:251-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Sumasgutner P, Vasko V, Varjonen R, Korpimäki E. Public information revealed by pellets in nest sites is more important than ecto-parasite avoidance in the settlement decisions of Eurasian kestrels. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1808-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Do climatic conditions affect host and parasite phenotypes differentially? A case study of magpies and great spotted cuckoos. Oecologia 2013; 174:327-38. [PMID: 24078079 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2772-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Climatic conditions, through their effects on resource availability, may affect important life history strategies and trade-offs in animals, as well as their interactions with other organisms such as parasites. This impact may depend on species-specific pathways of development that differ even among species with similar resource requirements (e.g., avian brood parasites and their hosts). Here we explore the degree of covariation between environmental-climatic conditions and nestling phenotypes (i.e., tarsus length, body mass, immune response to phytohemagglutinin injection) and ectoparasite loads of great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) and those of their magpie (Pica pica) hosts, both within and among 11 study years (1997-2011). Our main results were that (1) nestling phenotypes differed among years, but differently for great spotted cuckoos and magpies; (2) nestling phenotypes showed significant among-year covariation with breeding climatic conditions (temperature and precipitation); and (3) these associations differed for cuckoos and magpies for some phenotypic traits. As the average temperature at the beginning of the breeding season (April) increased, body mass and tarsus length increased only for cuckoos, but not for magpie hosts, while immune response decreased in both species. Finally, (4) the strength of the within-year relationships between the probability of ectoparasitism by Carnus hemapterus flies and laying date (used as an estimate of the within-year variation in climatic conditions) was negatively affected by the annual accumulated precipitation in April. These results strongly suggest that variation in climatic conditions would result in asymmetric effects on different species with respect to the probability of ectoparasitism, immunity and body size. Such asymmetric effects may affect animal interactions in general and those of brood parasites and their hosts in particular.
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Calero-Torralbo MA, Václav R, Valera F. Intra-specific variability in life-cycle synchronization of an ectoparasitic fly to its avian host. OIKOS 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.20374.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
SUMMARYParasites exposed to fast-developing hosts experience a variety of conditions over a short time period. Only few studies in vertebrate-ectoparasite systems have integrated the timing of ectoparasite infestations in the host's development into the search for factors explaining ectoparasite burden. In this study we examined the temporal pattern of attachment in a nidicolous tick (Ixodes arboricola) throughout the development of a songbird (Parus major). In the first experiment, we exposed bird clutches at hatching to a mix of the 3 tick instars (larvae, nymphs and adults), and monitored the ticks that attached in relation to the average broods' age. In a complementary experiment we focused on the attachment in adult female ticks – the largest and most significant instar for the species' reproduction – after releasing them at different moments in the nestlings’ development. Our observations revealed a positive association between the size of the attached instar and the broods' age. Particularly, adult females were less likely to be found attached to recently hatched nestlings, which contrasts with the smaller-sized larvae and nymphs. These differences suggest either an infestation strategy that is adapted to host physiology and development, or a result of selection by the hosts' anti-tick resistance mechanisms. We discuss the implications of our results in terms of tick life-history strategies.
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Valera F, Zídková L. Reproductive anatomy and fecundity estimation of the haematophagous ectoparasite Carnus hemapterus. Parasitol Res 2011; 110:1733-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-011-2693-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2011] [Accepted: 10/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Heylen DJA, Matthysen E. Experimental evidence for host preference in a tick parasitizing songbird nestlings. OIKOS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.19358.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Cardon M, Loot G, Grenouillet G, Blanchet S. Host characteristics and environmental factors differentially drive the burden and pathogenicity of an ectoparasite: a multilevel causal analysis. J Anim Ecol 2011; 80:657-67. [PMID: 21303365 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01804.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
1. Understanding the ecological factors driving the burden and pathogenicity of parasites is challenging. Indeed, the dynamics of host-parasite interactions is driven by factors organized across nested hierarchical levels (e.g. hosts, localities), and indirect effects are expected owing to interactions between levels. 2. In this study, we combined Bayesian multilevel models, path analyses and a model selection procedure to account for these complexities and to decipher the relative effects of host- and environment-related factors on the burden and the pathogenicity of an ectoparasite (Tracheliastes polycolpus) on its fish host (Leuciscus leuciscus). We also tested the year-to-year consistency of the relationships linking these factors to the burden and the pathogenic effects of T. polycolpus. 3. We found significant relationships between the parasite burden and host-related factors: body length and age were positively related to parasite burden and heterozygous hosts displayed a higher parasite burden. In contrast, both host- and environment-related factors were linked to pathogenic effects. Pathogenicity was correlated negatively with host body length and positively with age; this illustrates that some factors (e.g. body length) showed inverse relationships with parasite burden and pathogenicity. Pathogenic effects were stronger in cooler upstream sites and where host density was lower. Path analyses revealed that these relationships between environment-related factors and pathogenic effects were direct and were not indirect relationships mediated by the host characteristics. Finally, we found that the strength and the shape of certain relationships were consistent across years, while they were clearly not for some others. 4. Our study illustrates that considering conjointly causal relationships among factors and the hierarchical structure of host-parasite interactions is appropriate for dissecting the complex links between hosts, parasites and their common environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Cardon
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174, CNRS - Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
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Ecological immunology of bird-ectoparasite systems. Trends Parasitol 2010; 26:530-9. [PMID: 20599426 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2010.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2009] [Revised: 06/01/2010] [Accepted: 06/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Ecological immunology is a rapidly expanding field of research that attempts to explain variation in immune function across individuals, populations and species. Birds and ectoparasitic arthropods have frequently been used in attempts to measure the cost of immune function in relation to adult condition, nestling growth and other life history challenges. Unfortunately, most studies in ecological immunology have relied on assays of general immunocompetence that are not connected to actual parasites. A summary of potential interactions between the avian immune system and ectoparasites is provided and methods that can be used to test ecological questions in the context of naturally occurring host-parasite interactions are proposed.
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O'Brien EL, Dawson RD. Palatability of passerines to parasites: within-brood variation in nestling responses to experimental parasite removal and carotenoid supplementation. OIKOS 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.17692.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Avilés JM, Pérez-Contreras T, Navarro C, Soler JJ. Male spotless starlings adjust feeding effort based on egg spots revealing ectoparasite load. Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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