Relationship between host abundance and parasite distribution: inferring regulating mechanisms from census data

The Journal of Animal Ecology
Michal StankoSerge Morand

Abstract

1. We studied the effect of host abundance on parasite abundance and prevalence using data on 57 associations of fleas (Siphonaptera) and their mammalian hosts from Slovakia. 2. We assumed that flea-induced host mortality could be inferred from the relationship between flea aggregation and flea abundance, whereas host-induced flea mortality could be inferred from the relationship between flea abundance or aggregation and host abundance. 3. Relationships between flea abundance or prevalence and host abundance were either negative (in 23 flea-host associations) or absent (in 34 flea-host associations). Negative relationships between flea abundance and host abundance were always accompanied by negative relationships between flea prevalence and host abundance. 4. The link between flea abundance/prevalence and host abundance was evaluated as the coefficient of determination of the respective regressions. Across flea-host associations, this link decreased with an increase in the degree of flea aggregation (measured as a parameter b of Taylor's power law). 5. Mean crowding of fleas decreased with an increase of host abundance in eight flea-host associations, being asymptotic in four of them. On the other hand, mean crowding of fleas i...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 10, 2006·Oecologia·Boris R KrasnovRobert Poulin
Aug 21, 2013·International Journal for Parasitology·Götz FroeschkeSonja Matthee
Mar 7, 2009·Journal of Vector Ecology : Journal of the Society for Vector Ecology·Douglas J McCauleyKatharina Dittmar
Jun 3, 2008·Trends in Parasitology·Serge Morand, Boris Krasnov
Jun 1, 2009·Integrative Zoology·Anne LaudisoitBoris Ronald Krasnov
Oct 13, 2006·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Boris R KrasnovSerge Morand
May 14, 2014·Journal of Vector Ecology : Journal of the Society for Vector Ecology·Robert L Bossard
May 15, 2013·Acta Parasitologica·Gabriela MuñozAlejandra Rodríguez
Nov 20, 2012·International Journal for Parasitology·A R Renwick, X Lambin
Jan 13, 2015·Parasitology International·Volodimir Sarabeev
Dec 7, 2019·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Alexandre MestreJoaquín Hortal
Aug 30, 2018·Diseases of Aquatic Organisms·Horacio Lozano-CoboIsrael Ambriz-Arreola
Aug 14, 2019·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Alexandre MestreFrancesc Mesquita-Joanes
Feb 15, 2008·International Journal for Parasitology·Robert PoulinGeorgy I Shenbrot

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