Emphasizing the ecology in parasite community ecology

Pedersen, Amy B.; Fenton, Andy

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2006.11.005

Cited by 489 publications

(534 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The same situation is true at the species level, with the majority of parasites having multiple host species and all hosts having multiple parasite species. These facts are not a recent discovery and could be considered as a 'lieu commun' for most parasitologists (Combes 2001;Pedersen & Fenton 2007;Poulin 2007). Nevertheless, the attention of evolutionary biologists has only recently focused on this area, mainly owing to theoretical predictions issuing from kin selection and life-history trait theory enabling a conceptual framework for a better understanding of the evolution of virulence (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasite and host assemblages: embracing the reality will improve our knowledge of parasite transmission and virulence

2010

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Interactions involving several parasite species (multi-parasitized hosts) or several host species (multi-host parasites) are the rule in nature. Only a few studies have investigated these realistic, but complex, situations from an evolutionary perspective. Consequently, their impact on the evolution of parasite virulence and transmission remains poorly understood. The mechanisms by which multiple infections may influence virulence and transmission include the dynamics of intrahost competition, mediation by the host immune system and an increase in parasite genetic recombination. Theoretical investigations have yet to be conducted to determine which of these mechanisms are likely to be key factors in the evolution of virulence and transmission. In contrast, the relationship between multi-host parasites and parasite virulence and transmission has seen some theoretical investigation. The key factors in these models are the trade-off between virulence across different host species, variation in host species quality and patterns of transmission. The empirical studies on multi-host parasites suggest that interspecies transmission plays a central role in the evolution of virulence, but as yet no complete picture of the phenomena involved is available. Ultimately, determining how complex host-parasite interactions impact the evolution of host-parasite relationships will require the development of cross-disciplinary studies linking the ecology of quantitative networks with the evolution of virulence.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasite and host assemblages: embracing the reality will improve our knowledge of parasite transmission and virulence

2010

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“…Interactions between different species of animals, or functional guilds of animals with shared or very similar niches, are the cornerstone of community ecology (Pedersen and Fenton, 2006 ;Suttle et al 2007 ;Graham, 2008), and indeed it has been argued that such interactions define communities, contrasting them with assemblages of animals where the presence or absence of species is considered to be a purely random event (Janovy, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Helminth species richness in wild wood mice,Apodemus sylvaticus, is enhanced by the presence of the intestinal nematodeHeligmosomoides polygyrus

et al. 2009

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We analysed 3 independently collected datasets of fully censused helminth burdens in wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, testing the a priori hypothesis of Behnke et al. (2005) that the presence of the intestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus predisposes wood mice to carrying other species of helminths. In Portugal, mice carrying H. polygyrus showed a higher prevalence of other helminths but the magnitude of the effect was seasonal. In Egham, mice with H. polygyrus showed a higher prevalence of other helminth species, not confounded by other factors. In Malham Tarn, mice carrying H. polygyrus were more likely to be infected with other species, but only among older mice. Allowing for other factors, heavy residual H. polygyrus infections carried more species of other helminths in both the Portugal and Egham data ; species richness in Malham was too low to conduct a similar analysis, but as H. polygyrus worm burdens increased, so the prevalence of other helminths also increased. Our results support those of Behnke et al. (2005), providing firm evidence that at the level of species richness a highly predictable element of co-infections in wood mice has now been defined : infection with H. polygyrus has detectable consequences for the susceptibility of wood mice to other intestinal helminth species.

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“…The latter may arise physically because parasites are crowded into a space-restricted site, through competition for resources, or via chemical mediators (e.g. ' allomone-like ' substances, metabolic by-products - Roberts, 2000 ;Pedersen and Fenton, 2006). Added complexity in co-infections is generated by correlated exposure, by parasite longevity, by differences in the genetic constitution of individual hosts, and by broader effects on the hosts' immune system through commitment to a particular response phenotype (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure in parasite component communities in wild rodents: predictability, stability, associations and interactions .... or pure randomness?

Behnke

2008

Parasitology

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SUMMARYExperimental data establish that interactions exist between species of intestinal helminths during concurrent infections in rodents, the strongest effects being mediated through the host's immune responses. Detecting immune-mediated relationships in wild rodent populations has been fraught with problems and published data do not support a major role for interactions in structuring helminth communities. Helminths in wild rodents show predictable patterns of seasonal, host age-dependent and spatial variation in species richness and in abundance of core species. When these are controlled for, patterns of co-infection compatible with synergistic interactions can be demonstrated. At least one of these, the positive relationship betweenHeligmosomoides polygyrusand species richness of other helminths has been demonstrated in three totally independent data-sets. Collectively, they explain only a small percentage of the variance/deviance in abundance data and at this level are unlikely to play a major role in structuring helminth communities, although they may be important in the more heavily infected wood mice. Current worm burdens underestimate the possibility that earlier interactions through the immune system have taken place, and therefore interactions may have a greater role to play than is immediately evident from current worm burdens. Longitudinal studies are proposed to resolve this issue.

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Emphasizing the ecology in parasite community ecology

Cited by 489 publications

References 57 publications

Parasite and host assemblages: embracing the reality will improve our knowledge of parasite transmission and virulence

Parasite and host assemblages: embracing the reality will improve our knowledge of parasite transmission and virulence

Helminth species richness in wild wood mice,Apodemus sylvaticus, is enhanced by the presence of the intestinal nematodeHeligmosomoides polygyrus

Structure in parasite component communities in wild rodents: predictability, stability, associations and interactions .... or pure randomness?

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