Epidemiology of endoparasites of recolonizing European grey wolves in a multi–host predator–prey–system
When large carnivores recolonize anthropogenic landscapes after phases of local extinction, they represent a new predator and host that may impact its new ecosystem by changing trophic cascades and altering pathogen transmission dynamics. Such an event allows us to study general ecological aspects s...
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| Other Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/5501 https://doi.org/10.17169/refubium-9700 https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:188-fudissthesis000000106890-8 |
| Summary: | When large carnivores recolonize anthropogenic landscapes after phases of local extinction, they represent a new predator and host that may impact its new ecosystem by changing trophic cascades and altering pathogen transmission dynamics. Such an event allows us to study general ecological aspects such as diet, behaviour and pathogen load, but it is also the equivalent of a ‘removal experiment’. Here, potential epidemiological effects of the returnee on its prey or related carnivore species in its presence and absence can be investigated. European grey wolves (Canis lupus) returned to Germany during the late 1990’s, and have been continuously expanding their range. Within the frame of the national wolf health monitoring project, researchers have examined the expansion process regarding causes of death and infectious diseases, including endoparasites. Host-parasite burden may be influenced by several factors related to individual fitness but also environmental conditions, and may therefore be predicted based on such measures. In chapter I, I investigated which intrinsic and extrinsic factors impact parasite diversity and species richness in the Central European lowland (CEL) wolf population during population expansion. I characterized its helminth and Sarcocystis fauna using a combination of classical sequencing and current metabarcoding techniques. Furthermore, I sought to find evidence on whether wolves increase metacestode prevalence in their ungulate prey species that serve as intermediate hosts of some wolf cestodes. I identified 13 known helminth and 11 known Sarcocystis species in the CEL wolf population, but only a low prevalence (2%) of zoonotic species. I discovered that helminth diversity and species richness vary with wolf age, and significantly increase with growing population size, whereas genetic heterozygozity, sex and geographic origin had no influence. However, I did not find a significant link of ungulate metacestode prevalence and wolf presence. Concluding from these findings, I suggest that ... |
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