Is there a cost of parasites to caribou?
SUMMARY Macroparasites potentially play a significant but often ignored role in the ecology and dynamics of wild ruminant populations. In the Arctic, parasites may impact on host populations by exacerbating the effects of seasonal and limited forage availability on the condition, fecundity and survi...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182008005246 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0031182008005246 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0031182008005246 2024-03-03T08:42:06+00:00 Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? HUGHES, J. ALBON, S. D. IRVINE, R. J. WOODIN, S. 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182008005246 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0031182008005246 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Parasitology volume 136, issue 2, page 253-265 ISSN 0031-1820 1469-8161 Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology journal-article 2008 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182008005246 2024-02-08T08:36:14Z SUMMARY Macroparasites potentially play a significant but often ignored role in the ecology and dynamics of wild ruminant populations. In the Arctic, parasites may impact on host populations by exacerbating the effects of seasonal and limited forage availability on the condition, fecundity and survival of individuals. We studied the effects of abomasal nematode parasites and warble flies, Hypoderma tarandi , on condition and pregnancy of caribou Rangifer tarandus in the Dolphin-Union herd, Nunavut, Canada. By the end of winter, female caribou over 2 years old showed a significant decrease in body weight with increasing nematode burden, and a decrease in back fat depth with increasing warble abundance. These effects were exaggerated in the non-pregnant fraction of the population. High warble larvae burdens were also associated with significantly reduced probability of being pregnant. Our research demonstrates a negative relationship between parasites and caribou condition that may have consequences for their fitness. Additionally, we discuss the possibility that muskox Ovibos moschatus share some parasite species with the caribou and could lead to elevated burdens in the sympatric host. Parasites may have been a contributory factor in a previous winter range-shift of the caribou herd and this may reflect a form of apparent competition between the two ungulate species. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic caribou muskox Nunavut ovibos moschatus Rangifer tarandus Cambridge University Press Arctic Nunavut Canada Parasitology 136 2 253 265 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology |
spellingShingle |
Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology HUGHES, J. ALBON, S. D. IRVINE, R. J. WOODIN, S. Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
topic_facet |
Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology |
description |
SUMMARY Macroparasites potentially play a significant but often ignored role in the ecology and dynamics of wild ruminant populations. In the Arctic, parasites may impact on host populations by exacerbating the effects of seasonal and limited forage availability on the condition, fecundity and survival of individuals. We studied the effects of abomasal nematode parasites and warble flies, Hypoderma tarandi , on condition and pregnancy of caribou Rangifer tarandus in the Dolphin-Union herd, Nunavut, Canada. By the end of winter, female caribou over 2 years old showed a significant decrease in body weight with increasing nematode burden, and a decrease in back fat depth with increasing warble abundance. These effects were exaggerated in the non-pregnant fraction of the population. High warble larvae burdens were also associated with significantly reduced probability of being pregnant. Our research demonstrates a negative relationship between parasites and caribou condition that may have consequences for their fitness. Additionally, we discuss the possibility that muskox Ovibos moschatus share some parasite species with the caribou and could lead to elevated burdens in the sympatric host. Parasites may have been a contributory factor in a previous winter range-shift of the caribou herd and this may reflect a form of apparent competition between the two ungulate species. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
HUGHES, J. ALBON, S. D. IRVINE, R. J. WOODIN, S. |
author_facet |
HUGHES, J. ALBON, S. D. IRVINE, R. J. WOODIN, S. |
author_sort |
HUGHES, J. |
title |
Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
title_short |
Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
title_full |
Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
title_fullStr |
Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
title_sort |
is there a cost of parasites to caribou? |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182008005246 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0031182008005246 |
geographic |
Arctic Nunavut Canada |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Nunavut Canada |
genre |
Arctic caribou muskox Nunavut ovibos moschatus Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Arctic caribou muskox Nunavut ovibos moschatus Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Parasitology volume 136, issue 2, page 253-265 ISSN 0031-1820 1469-8161 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182008005246 |
container_title |
Parasitology |
container_volume |
136 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
253 |
op_container_end_page |
265 |
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1792497601178763264 |