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Prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites is positively related to the abundance of host species at multiple sites within a region

Ellis, Vincenzo A. LU ; Medeiros, Matthew C.I. ; Collins, Michael D. ; Sari, Eloisa H.R. LU ; Coffey, Elyse D. ; Dickerson, Rebecca C. ; Lugarini, Camile ; Stratford, Jeffrey A. ; Henry, Donata R. and Merrill, Loren , et al. (2017) In Parasitology Research 116(1). p.73-80
Abstract

Parasite prevalence is thought to be positively related to host population density owing to enhanced contagion. However, the relationship between prevalence and local abundance of multiple host species is underexplored. We surveyed birds and their haemosporidian parasites (genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) at multiple sites across eastern North America to test whether the prevalence of these parasites in a host species at a particular site is related to that host’s local abundance. Prevalence was positively related to host abundance within most sites, although the effect was stronger and more consistent for Plasmodium than for Haemoproteus. In contrast, prevalence was not related to variation in the abundance of most individual host... (More)

Parasite prevalence is thought to be positively related to host population density owing to enhanced contagion. However, the relationship between prevalence and local abundance of multiple host species is underexplored. We surveyed birds and their haemosporidian parasites (genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) at multiple sites across eastern North America to test whether the prevalence of these parasites in a host species at a particular site is related to that host’s local abundance. Prevalence was positively related to host abundance within most sites, although the effect was stronger and more consistent for Plasmodium than for Haemoproteus. In contrast, prevalence was not related to variation in the abundance of most individual host species among sites across the region. These results suggest that parasite prevalence partly reflects the relative abundances of host species in local assemblages. However, three nonnative host species had low prevalence despite being relatively abundant at one site, as predicted by the enemy release hypothesis.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Avian malaria, Enemy release hypothesis, Haemoproteus, Host abundance, Plasmodium
in
Parasitology Research
volume
116
issue
1
pages
8 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:84990857146
  • pmid:27709356
ISSN
0932-0113
DOI
10.1007/s00436-016-5263-3
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
cfc535e8-756a-4565-9444-22dca17837c4
date added to LUP
2017-05-09 16:58:58
date last changed
2024-05-26 15:12:47
@article{cfc535e8-756a-4565-9444-22dca17837c4,
  abstract     = {{<p>Parasite prevalence is thought to be positively related to host population density owing to enhanced contagion. However, the relationship between prevalence and local abundance of multiple host species is underexplored. We surveyed birds and their haemosporidian parasites (genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) at multiple sites across eastern North America to test whether the prevalence of these parasites in a host species at a particular site is related to that host’s local abundance. Prevalence was positively related to host abundance within most sites, although the effect was stronger and more consistent for Plasmodium than for Haemoproteus. In contrast, prevalence was not related to variation in the abundance of most individual host species among sites across the region. These results suggest that parasite prevalence partly reflects the relative abundances of host species in local assemblages. However, three nonnative host species had low prevalence despite being relatively abundant at one site, as predicted by the enemy release hypothesis.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ellis, Vincenzo A. and Medeiros, Matthew C.I. and Collins, Michael D. and Sari, Eloisa H.R. and Coffey, Elyse D. and Dickerson, Rebecca C. and Lugarini, Camile and Stratford, Jeffrey A. and Henry, Donata R. and Merrill, Loren and Matthews, Alix E. and Hanson, Alison A. and Roberts, Jackson R. and Joyce, Michael and Kunkel, Melanie R. and Ricklefs, Robert E}},
  issn         = {{0932-0113}},
  keywords     = {{Avian malaria; Enemy release hypothesis; Haemoproteus; Host abundance; Plasmodium}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{73--80}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Parasitology Research}},
  title        = {{Prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites is positively related to the abundance of host species at multiple sites within a region}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-5263-3}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00436-016-5263-3}},
  volume       = {{116}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}