Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density
Parasites are integral to ecosystem functioning yet often overlooked. Improved understanding of host–parasite associations is important, particularly for wide-ranging species for which host range shifts and climate change could alter host–parasite interactions and their effects on ecosystem function...
Published in: | Ecology and Evolution |
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Language: | English |
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John Wiley and Sons Ltd
2021
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1564119 https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7837 |
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ftunivromairis:oai:iris.uniroma1.it:11573/1564119 2024-04-14T08:10:14+00:00 Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density Stronen A. V. Molnar B. Ciucci P. Darimont C. T. Grottoli L. Paquet P. C. Sallows T. Smits J. E. G. Bryan H. M. Stronen, A. V. Molnar, B. Ciucci, P. Darimont, C. T. Grottoli, L. Paquet, P. C. Sallows, T. Smits, J. E. G. Bryan, H. M. 2021 http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1564119 https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7837 eng eng John Wiley and Sons Ltd place:111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000672901900001 volume:11 issue:15 firstpage:10338 lastpage:10352 numberofpages:15 journal:ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1564119 doi:10.1002/ece3.7837 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85109997433 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Canis lupu dietary diversity direct life cycle indirect life cycle noninvasive monitoring population density info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2021 ftunivromairis https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7837 2024-03-21T19:30:04Z Parasites are integral to ecosystem functioning yet often overlooked. Improved understanding of host–parasite associations is important, particularly for wide-ranging species for which host range shifts and climate change could alter host–parasite interactions and their effects on ecosystem function. Among the most widely distributed mammals with diverse diets, gray wolves (Canis lupus) host parasites that are transmitted among canids and via prey species. Wolf–parasite associations may therefore influence the population dynamics and ecological functions of both wolves and their prey. Our goal was to identify large-scale processes that shape host–parasite interactions across populations, with the wolf as a model organism. By compiling data from various studies, we examined the fecal prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in six wolf populations from two continents in relation to wolf density, diet diversity, and other ecological conditions. As expected, we found that the fecal prevalence of parasites transmitted directly to wolves via contact with other canids or their excreta was positively associated with wolf density. Contrary to our expectations, the fecal prevalence of parasites transmitted via prey was negatively associated with prey diversity. We also found that parasite communities reflected landscape characteristics and specific prey items available to wolves. Several parasite taxa identified in this study, including hookworms and coccidian protozoans, can cause morbidity and mortality in canids, especially in pups, or in combination with other stressors. The density–prevalence relationship for parasites with simple life cycles may reflect a regulatory role of gastrointestinal parasites on wolf populations. Our result that fecal prevalence of parasites was lower in wolves with more diverse diets could provide insight into the mechanisms by which biodiversity may regulate disease. A diverse suite of predator–prey interactions could regulate the effects of parasitism on prey populations and mitigate the ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Sapienza Università di Roma: CINECA IRIS Ecology and Evolution 11 15 10338 10352 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Sapienza Università di Roma: CINECA IRIS |
op_collection_id |
ftunivromairis |
language |
English |
topic |
Canis lupu dietary diversity direct life cycle indirect life cycle noninvasive monitoring population density |
spellingShingle |
Canis lupu dietary diversity direct life cycle indirect life cycle noninvasive monitoring population density Stronen A. V. Molnar B. Ciucci P. Darimont C. T. Grottoli L. Paquet P. C. Sallows T. Smits J. E. G. Bryan H. M. Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
topic_facet |
Canis lupu dietary diversity direct life cycle indirect life cycle noninvasive monitoring population density |
description |
Parasites are integral to ecosystem functioning yet often overlooked. Improved understanding of host–parasite associations is important, particularly for wide-ranging species for which host range shifts and climate change could alter host–parasite interactions and their effects on ecosystem function. Among the most widely distributed mammals with diverse diets, gray wolves (Canis lupus) host parasites that are transmitted among canids and via prey species. Wolf–parasite associations may therefore influence the population dynamics and ecological functions of both wolves and their prey. Our goal was to identify large-scale processes that shape host–parasite interactions across populations, with the wolf as a model organism. By compiling data from various studies, we examined the fecal prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in six wolf populations from two continents in relation to wolf density, diet diversity, and other ecological conditions. As expected, we found that the fecal prevalence of parasites transmitted directly to wolves via contact with other canids or their excreta was positively associated with wolf density. Contrary to our expectations, the fecal prevalence of parasites transmitted via prey was negatively associated with prey diversity. We also found that parasite communities reflected landscape characteristics and specific prey items available to wolves. Several parasite taxa identified in this study, including hookworms and coccidian protozoans, can cause morbidity and mortality in canids, especially in pups, or in combination with other stressors. The density–prevalence relationship for parasites with simple life cycles may reflect a regulatory role of gastrointestinal parasites on wolf populations. Our result that fecal prevalence of parasites was lower in wolves with more diverse diets could provide insight into the mechanisms by which biodiversity may regulate disease. A diverse suite of predator–prey interactions could regulate the effects of parasitism on prey populations and mitigate the ... |
author2 |
Stronen, A. V. Molnar, B. Ciucci, P. Darimont, C. T. Grottoli, L. Paquet, P. C. Sallows, T. Smits, J. E. G. Bryan, H. M. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Stronen A. V. Molnar B. Ciucci P. Darimont C. T. Grottoli L. Paquet P. C. Sallows T. Smits J. E. G. Bryan H. M. |
author_facet |
Stronen A. V. Molnar B. Ciucci P. Darimont C. T. Grottoli L. Paquet P. C. Sallows T. Smits J. E. G. Bryan H. M. |
author_sort |
Stronen A. V. |
title |
Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
title_short |
Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
title_full |
Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
title_fullStr |
Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
title_sort |
cross-continental comparison of parasite communities in a wide-ranging carnivore suggests associations with prey diversity and host density |
publisher |
John Wiley and Sons Ltd |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1564119 https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7837 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000672901900001 volume:11 issue:15 firstpage:10338 lastpage:10352 numberofpages:15 journal:ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1564119 doi:10.1002/ece3.7837 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85109997433 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7837 |
container_title |
Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
15 |
container_start_page |
10338 |
op_container_end_page |
10352 |
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1796307761051467776 |