Can Parasites Synchronise the Population Fluctuations of Sympatric

• Main Authors: Tetraonids Examining Some, Per R. Holmstad
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: Norway; Northern Norway; rock ptarmigan
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.61.6026; http://www.personal.psu.edu/pjh18/downloads/169_Holmstad_et_al_2005__Can_parasites_synchonize_Oikos.pdf

this paper we examine the hypothesis that shared parasites among sympatric populations of different host species may operate as a local synchronising factor for host population densities. The `parasite hypothesis' can only be a feasible explanation for locally synchronized population cycles among different hosts species if; i) host species share either the same or similar parasite species, and ii) geographical location contribute significantly more to the variation in the parasite species composition and abundance than differences among host species. We tested these conditions using data from a field study of subpopulations of sympatric willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus ) and rock ptarmigan (L. mutus ) at seven locations along a coast-inland gradient in northern Norway