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opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Parasites structuring ecological communities: the mistletoe footprint in Mediterranean pine forests

1. The capacity of parasitic plants in structuring natural communities is increasingly recognized. These plants can affect the structure, composition and productivity of plant communities by modifying the competitive balance between hosts and non-host species and by altering the quantity and quality of resources entering the soil. Despite the progress made in this field, there is still a lack of integrative studies showing the structuring capacity of parasitic plants in forest ecosystems, where their effect may be less detectable due to the long lifespan of the system. 2. In this study we evaluate the long-term impact of Viscum album subsp. austriacum on the woody-plant community of a Mediterranean pineland. This mistletoe remains several years on the same host, exerting long-lasting, spatially concentrated effects on community and ecosystem characteristics. Mistletoe concentrates zoochorous seeds and induces changes in the soil fertility and light availability beneath the canopy of parasitized trees, which have the potential to facilitate zoochorous-plant colonization, recruitment, and growth at the same time as it weakens the host. Here, we analyse whether mistletoe-driven changes could result in a nucleus of zoochorous woody plants nourished by the abundant organic detritus accumulated under the host. We also analyse whether mistletoe effects can expand after host death. 3. We selected unparasitized, parasitized, and dead parasitized Pinus nigra trees, in which we studied the joint effect of mistletoe-mediated changes in soil nutrient and light availability, with the seed rain, seed predation, seedling establishment, plant recruitment, and plant growth. Light- and soil-nutrient resources were greater under parasitized trees, and intensified after host death. The seed rain was maximum under parasitized trees, where seedling recruitment proved more likely. Sapling density, richness, and growth increased with the development of parasitism. 4. Our findings show that Viscum album exerts a strong and lasting impact on the structure and dynamics of Mediterranean pinelands, with parasitized trees acting as centres for the establishment and growth of colonizing fleshy-fruited woody species, which, over the long term, promote vegetation shifts by limiting dominant pine trees and facilitating less represented fleshy-fruited shrubs.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: The impact of within-host ecology on the fitness of a drug-resistant parasite

Background and objectives: The rate of evolution of drug resistance depends on the fitness of resistant pathogens. The fitness of resistant pathogens is reduced by competition with sensitive pathogens in untreated hosts and so enhanced by competitive release in drug-treated hosts. We set out to estimate the magnitude of those effects on a variety of fitness measures, hypothesizing that competitive suppression and competitive release would have larger impacts when resistance was rarer to begin with. Methodology: We infected mice with varying densities of drug-resistant Plasmodium chabaudi malaria parasites in a fixed density of drug-sensitive parasites and followed infection dynamics using strain-specific quantitative PCR. Results: Competition with susceptible parasites reduced the absolute fitness of resistant parasites by 50-100%. Drug treatment increased the absolute fitness from 2- to >10 000-fold. The ecological context and choice of fitness measure was responsible for the wide variation in those estimates. Initial population growth rates poorly predicted parasite abundance and transmission probabilities. Conclusions and implications: (i) The sensitivity of estimates of pathogen fitness to ecological context and choice of fitness measure make it difficult to derive field-relevant estimates of the fitness costs and benefits of resistance from experimental settings. (ii) Competitive suppression can be a key force preventing resistance from emerging when it is rare, as it is when it first arises. (iii) Drug treatment profoundly affects the fitness of resistance. Resistance evolution could be slowed by developing drug use policies that consider in-host competition.

opencc-zeroJan 2022View details →

Ecological relationships among habitat type, food nutrients, parasites and hormones in wild boar during winter

Habitat quality and parasite assembly influence wildlife health, and they are key indicators of health and survivability of wildlife populations. To investigate the potential ecological relationships among habitat type, food nutrients, parasites and hormones in wild boar (Sus scrofa), we collected samples of wild boar feces and available plants in their habitat by line transects during winter. Along transects, we identified the composition of plants foraged by wild boar and measured the content of nutrients in available plants to estimate nutrient intake. We also quantified parasites and hormones in wild boar fecal samples. We compared food nutrients among different forest types and explored possible relationships among estimated nutrient intake, parasites and hormones. We found coniferous forest had positive effects on estimated fat intake and negative effects on estimated protein and fiber intake by wild boar. Furthermore, we revealed that estimated fat intake was negatively correlated with Metastrongylus elongatus parasites and positively correlated with triiodothyronine (T3). In contrast, estimated protein intake was positively correlated with M. elongatus and negatively correlated with T3. Finally, we found negative relationships between T3 concentrations and loads of Ascaris suum parasites and between cortisol (COR) and loads of Trichuris suis parasites. These insights on ecological relationships help identify potential dietary parameters in winter that could help predict and manage parasite and hormone responses for wild boar population recovery.Habitat quality and parasite assembly influence wildlife health, and they are key indicators of health and survivability of wildlife populations. To investigate the potential ecological relationships among habitat type, food nutrients, parasites and hormones in wild boar (Sus scrofa), we collected samples of wild boar feces and available plants in their habitat by line transects during winter. Along transects, we identified the composition of plants foraged by wild boar and measured the content of nutrients in available plants to estimate nutrient intake. We also quantified parasites and hormones in wild boar fecal samples. We compared food nutrients among different forest types and explored possible relationships among estimated nutrient intake, parasites and hormones. We found coniferous forest had positive effects on estimated fat intake and negative effects on estimated protein and fiber intake by wild boar. Furthermore, we revealed that estimated fat intake was negatively correlated with Metastrongylus elongatus parasites and positively correlated with triiodothyronine (T3). In contrast, estimated protein intake was positively correlated with M. elongatus and negatively correlated with T3. Finally, we found negative relationships between T3 concentrations and loads of Ascaris suum parasites and between cortisol (COR) and loads of Trichuris suis parasites. These insights on ecological relationships help identify potential dietary parameters in winter that could help predict and manage parasite and hormone responses for wild boar population recovery.

Figure 5 from: Bogusch P, van Achterberg C, Šilhán K, Astapenková A, Heneberg P (2018) Description of mature larvae and ecological notes on Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Evanioidea, Gasteruptiidae) parasitizing hymenopterans nesting in reed galls. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 65: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.65.26645

Figure 5 Body parts of larvae of Gasteruption. Gasteruptionassectator. A head, frontal view B mandible, frontal view C spiracle. GasteruptionnigrescensD head, frontal view E mandible, frontal view F spiracle. GasteruptionphragmiticolaG head, frontal view H mandible, frontal view I spiracle.

Figure 1 from: Bogusch P, van Achterberg C, Šilhán K, Astapenková A, Heneberg P (2018) Description of mature larvae and ecological notes on Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Evanioidea, Gasteruptiidae) parasitizing hymenopterans nesting in reed galls. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 65: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.65.26645

Figure 1 Map with occurrence of Gasteruptionassectator (yellow) and Gasteruptionnigrescens (red) in the localities studied. Empty circles represent the localities where these species have not been recorded.

Figure 2 from: Bogusch P, van Achterberg C, Šilhán K, Astapenková A, Heneberg P (2018) Description of mature larvae and ecological notes on Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Evanioidea, Gasteruptiidae) parasitizing hymenopterans nesting in reed galls. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 65: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.65.26645

Figure 2 Map with occurrence of Hylaeuspectoralis (yellow) and Gasteruptionphragmiticola together with Hylaeuspectoralis (red) in the localities studied. No localities of Gasteruptionphragmiticola without the presence of H.pectoralis were recorded. Empty circles represent the localities where these species have not been recorded.

Figure 3 from: Bogusch P, van Achterberg C, Šilhán K, Astapenková A, Heneberg P (2018) Description of mature larvae and ecological notes on Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Evanioidea, Gasteruptiidae) parasitizing hymenopterans nesting in reed galls. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 65: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.65.26645

Figure 3 Nests with larvae of Gasteruption. A Larva of Gasteruptionnigrescens in nest of Heriadesrubicola (Hungary, Szeged, 2017) B Larva of Gasteruptionnigrescens in nest of Hoplitisleucomelana (Czech Republic, Novozámecký fish pond, 2018) C Larva of Gasteruptionphragmiticola in nest of Hylaeuspectoralis (Czech Republic, Novozámecký fish pond, 2018) D larva of Gasteruptionphragmiticola extracted from nest of Hylaeuspectoralis (Czech Republic, Dubno, 2015).

Figure 4 from: Bogusch P, van Achterberg C, Šilhán K, Astapenková A, Heneberg P (2018) Description of mature larvae and ecological notes on Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Evanioidea, Gasteruptiidae) parasitizing hymenopterans nesting in reed galls. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 65: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.65.26645

Figure 4 Larvae of Gasteruption. Gasteruptionassectator. A mature larva, lateral view B mature larva, dorsal view C head – mouthparts. GasteruptionnigrescensD mature larva, lateral view E mature larva, dorsal view F head – mouthparts. GasteruptionphragmiticolaG mature larva, lateral view H mature larva, dorsal view I head – mouthparts.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2019View details →

Fig. 3. Bayesian Inference tree constructed from COX1 in Ecological and geographical speciation in Lucilia bufonivora: The evolution of amphibian obligate parasitism

Fig. 3. Bayesian Inference tree constructed from COX1 (mtDNA) sequence data. Each specimen is labelled with the species name and location abbreviation as indicated in Table 1. Sequences obtained from BOLD/GenBank are also annotated with their respective accession codes. Green text corresponds to European samples of Lucilia bufonivora; red represents Lucilia elongata; purple represents Canadian L. bufonivora; orange represents Lucilia silvarum. Scale bar represents expected changes per site. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2019View details →

Fig. 4 in Ecological and geographical speciation in Lucilia bufonivora: The evolution of amphibian obligate parasitism

Fig. 4. Bayesian Inference tree constructed from per gene (nDNA) sequence data. Each specimen is labelled with the species name and location abbreviation as indicated in Table 1. Green text corresponds to European samples of Lucilia bufonivora; red represents Lucilia elongata; purple represents Canadian L. bufonivora; orange represents Lucilia silvarum. Scale bar represents expected changes per site. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opencc-by-4.0Aug 2020View details →

Fig. 2. Plots A-B in Adaptations, life-history traits and ecological mechanisms of parasites to survive extremes and environmental unpredictability in the face of climate change

Fig. 2. Plots A-B. Hypothetical thermal curves of the free-living stages of two parasite populations with different thermal adaptation histories and similar thermal optimum (highest point in the curve). The blue curve represents a population adapted to a highly variable environment and the orange curve a population adapted to a less variable environment. The dashed black line is a hypothetical current mean temperature in the environment and the dashed grey line represents an increased mean temperature as a consequence of climate change. In plot A, the historical temperature sits close to the thermal optimum in both populations, and an increase in temperature results in a decrease in parasite performance, which is greater for the parasite adapted to the less variable environment. In plot B, the historical temperature is well below the thermal optimum of both parasites, and an increase in temperature results in improved performance for both parasites. In both scenarios, an increase in mean temperature causes a much higher relative change in performance in the population from the less variable environment as indicated in the difference in size among the shade areas. Plot C shows the hypothetical temperature and thermal development ranges for the free-living stages of parasites inhabiting three different latitudes. The temperature range increases with latitude but the development range of parasites does not because, although the thermal range in high latitudes is wider, a large portion of this range occurs <0 ◦C. While parasites from high latitudes might be highly resistant to freezing temperatures, they are also more vulnerable to high temperatures. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opencc-by-4.0Aug 2020View details →

Fig. 1 in Adaptations, life-history traits and ecological mechanisms of parasites to survive extremes and environmental unpredictability in the face of climate change

Fig. 1. Schematic of two types of life cycles of parasitic nematodes highlighting stage-specific interactions with the environment and hosts, and adaptations to cope with extreme environmental conditions: A) direct life cycle and B) specific indirect life cycle of protostrongylid parasites. In red are indicated the developmental stages of the parasite. The performance (e.g., survival rate, development rate) of developmental stages in the orange area is directly influenced by changes in environmental conditions. Developmental stages in light blue area are indirectly influenced by environmental conditions experienced by the definitive or intermediate hosts. The effect of the environment on the L3 of protostrongylids can be direct or indirect depending if the L3 migrates out of the intermediate host (direct) or if the L3 remains in the intermediate host (indirect). In the inner triangles, examples of stage-specific adaptations to cope with extremes are indicated. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opennotspecifiedJan 2015View details →

Figure 1 in Parasite fauna of the grey mullet Mugil cephalus L. 1758, and its relationship with some ecological factors in Lower Kızılırmak Delta located by the Black Sea, Turkey

Figure 1. Sampling sites in the Lower Kızılırmak Delta.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2010View details →

Figure 1 in Fly parasitism in Papuan frogs, with a discussion of ecological factors influencing evolution of life-history differences

Figure 1. Preserved specimen of Rana supragrisea showing enlarged swellings caused by three (two on right side, one on left) infesting larvae of Batrachomyia krausi. Apertures in the skin used to maintain larval access to air are clear on the right; larval respiratory spiracles project from the aperture on left.