Patterns of Trematode Distribution from Hosts Collected at Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota
A comparative and seasonal study was performed on trematode populations and communities within waterfowl definitive hosts in order to determine important factors in the structuring of these communities. Furthermore, larval trematode populations were also sampled in order to compare larval stages fou...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato
2018
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| Online Access: | https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/784 https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/context/etds/article/1782/viewcontent/Malotka_mnsu_1510M_10765.pdf |
| Summary: | A comparative and seasonal study was performed on trematode populations and communities within waterfowl definitive hosts in order to determine important factors in the structuring of these communities. Furthermore, larval trematode populations were also sampled in order to compare larval stages found within snail hosts to adult stages found within collected waterfowl in order to determine where infections could have occurred with the trematode species. 52 birds including 18 blue-winged teal (Anas discors), 5 bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), 4 common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), 1 greater scaup (Aythya marila), 1 green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis), 11 lesser scaup (Aythya affinis), 1 northern pintail (Anas acuta), 1 redhead (Aythya americana), and 10 wood duck (Aix sponsa) were collected by licensed waterfowl hunters during the fall and spring migration seasons in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Of these species blue-winged teal, bufflehead, lesser scaup, and wood duck were sampled during the fall and spring migration. Overall, trematode populations and communities were highly variable among the hosts sampled and differences during the fall and spring migration season were also present, with the fall migration season harboring a greater number and diversity of trematodes. In general, a total of 42,118 trematodes were recovered during the fall migration season, representing a total of 13 trematode species, whereas 316 trematodes were recovered during the spring migration, representing a total of 8 trematode species. The role of diet and overall size of the intestinal tract appeared to represent important factors in both the number of trematodes that were found as well as the species richness of trematodes. Overall, mean trematode intensity and species richness was highest in lesser scaup during the fall migration with wood duck harboring fewer trematodes and fewer trematode species than other birds used during community analysis (blue-winged teal and lesser scaup). When adult trematode communities were compared ... |
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