Habitat fragmentation and haemoparasites in the common fruit bat,Artibeus jamaicensis(Phyllostomidae) in a tropical lowland forest in Panamá

Abstract

on ecosystems, such as habitat fragmentation, impacts species diversity and interactions. There is growing evidence that degradation of habitats favours disease and hence affects ecosystem health. The prevalence of haemoparasites in the Common Fruit Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) in a tropical lowland forest in Panamá was studied. We assessed the relation of haemoparasite to the general condition of the animals and tested for possible association of haemoparasite prevalence to habitat fragmentation, with special focus on trypanosomes. Overall, a total of 250 A. jamaicensis sampled from fragmented sites, here man-made, forested islands in Lake Gatù n, and sites in the adjacent, continuous forest in and around the Barro Colorado Nature Monument were examined. Using microscopy and DNA-sequencing 2 dominant types of haemoparasite infections, trypanosomes and Litomosoides (Nematoda) were identified. Trypanosome prevalence was significantly higher in bats from forest fragments, than in bats captured in continuous forest. We attribute this to the loss of species richness in forest fragments and specific characteristics of the fragments favouring trypanosome transmission, in particular changes in vegetation cover. Interestingly, the effect of habitat fragmentation on the prevalence of trypanosomes as multi-host parasites could not be observed in Litomosoides which probably has a higher host specificity and might be affected less by overall diversity loss.

Responses of Tropical Bats to Habitat Fragmentation, Logging, and Deforestation

“…4.3b). Cottontail et al (2009) found that trypanosome prevalence in A. jamaicensis was significantly higher in fragmented sites than in continuous forest, linked to a loss of bat species richness and fragmentation-related changes in vegetation cover that may favor disease transmission. The negative relationship between trypanosome prevalence and bat species richness reflects the "dilution effect," i.e., a situation in which high host species richness reduces parasite transmission if vectors feed on multiple host species that vary in their ability to contract, amplify, or transmit the pathogen (Ostfeld and Keesing 2012).…”

“…In contrast, prevalence of hemoparasitic nematodes (Litomosoides spp.) showed no significant difference among habitats, probably as a result of greater host specificity (Cottontail et al 2009). In another study, fragmentation affected the physiological condition of A. obscurus, as evidenced by elevated hematocrit levels in forest fragments versus continuous forest, even though similar abundances in both habitats indicated a high degree of fragmentation tolerance.…”

Diet quality and immunocompetence influence parasite load of roe deer in a fragmented landscape

“…For example, in the midland tropical forest, habitat fragmentation entails a loss of host species richness, increasing the prevalence of haemoparasites in the common fruit bat Artibeus jamaicensis (Cottontail et al 2009). In a similar way, changes in vegetation cover or the creation of habitat edges can lead to modified survival of parasite infective stages (e.g.…”

Factors Associated with the Seroprevalence of Leishmaniasis in Dogs Living around Atlantic Forest Fragments

“…Habitat loss and fragmentation and the subsequent decrease in biodiversity may cause, among many other effects, alterations in parasite ecology that result in increased rates of infection in wildlife [58]–[60]. Although we have no data on wildlife prevalence, the scenario of infected dogs living around and actually entering important biodiversity sites such as Atlantic Forest remnants [12] raises concerns about possible transmission to and from wild animals.…”