Spacing behaviors and spatial recruitment of a wild rodent in response to parasitism

Shaner, Pei Jen L.; Yu, Ai Yun; Ke, Li; Li, Shou Hsien

doi:10.1002/ecs2.1780

Cited by 4 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 62 publications

(106 reference statements)

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“…Although FEC can be problematic as a proxy for parasite loads (i.e., the numbers of adult worms in a host individual), it is still a valuable noninvasive way of assessing relative infection intensity across groups of individuals at intraspecific level (Bryan & Kerr, ; McKenna, ; Patterson & Schulte‐Hostedde, ). In this study, the strongyle eggs dominated the egg counts (strongyle eggs/all eggs = 87% ± 1% SE ; Shaner et al., ), and the ivermectin treatment effectively lowered the infection intensity of strongyle nematodes by 50% and 66% for the treated females and males, respectively, compared to their controls (Shaner et al., ). For FEC of all nematodes and cestodes, we confirmed a mean reduction of 68% and 69% for the treated females and males, respectively, compared to their controls (Figure ), and neither the FEC nor ivermectin efficacy differed between sexes (Table ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 56%

“…() were based on a field enclosure study, whereas ours were based on a laboratory experiment where the conditions were generally less harsh than in field. Finally, the probability of parasitic infection was likely much higher in our system (the prevalence of intestinal nematodes was <40% in Forbes et al., and > 90% in our system; also see Shaner et al., ), which could make tolerance a better strategy than immuno‐defenses. The role of food availability in modulating host immune responses is complex, and different patterns likely exist among systems with various background levels of food availability and infection risks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…The home range size is c . 1513–2547 m 2 (Lin & Shiraishi, ; Shaner et al., ) with high site fidelity (seasonal shifts in activity center c . 8–25 m; Lin & Shiraishi, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mice at the study site fed primarily on C3 plant‐based foods, which have lower δ 13 C values (mean δ 13 C = −29.8‰, SD = 1.6 ‰, N = 17 species; Shaner et al., ) than the C4 sorghum (mean δ 13 C = −10.5‰, SD = 0.1‰, N = 3 replicates; Shaner et al., ). Therefore, the higher a mouse's δ 13 C value, the more supplemental sorghum seeds it consumed.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, spacing behaviors could differ between sexes, influencing both their resource acquisition and parasite transmission. For example, female voles ( Microtus californicus , Ostfeld, ; Clethrionomys rufocanus , Ims, ) became spatially more aggregated than males under food supplementation, and male A. semotus became spatially more aggregated than females after they were reduced of nematode infection (Shaner et al., ). This is why sex‐specific effects of food and parasitism on host reproduction are well documented in mammals (Díaz & Alonso, ; Gooderham & Schulte‐Hostedde, ; Lo & Shaner, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effects of food and parasitism on reproductive performance of a wild rodent

Shaner

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Food and parasitism can have complex effects on small mammal reproduction. In this study, we tested the effects of sex, food, and parasitism on reproductive performance of the Taiwan field mouse (Apodemus semotus). In a field experiment, we increased food availability for a portion of the mice in the population by providing sorghum seeds to a set of food stations. We reduced parasite intensity of randomly chosen mice through ivermectin treatment. We determined the number and quality of offspring for the mice using paternity analysis. We quantified seed consumption with stable carbon isotope values of mouse plasma and parasite intensity with fecal egg counts of intestinal nematodes and cestodes (FEC). In a laboratory experiment, we reduced parasite intensity of randomly chosen mice through ivermectin treatment. We quantified their immune functions by total white blood cell count, percent granulocyte count, and percent lymphocyte count through hematological analyses. We measured the FEC and energy intake of the mice. From the field experiment, the number of offspring in A. semotus increased with increasing seed consumption. Due to the trade‐off between number and quality of offspring, the offspring quality decreased with increasing seed consumption for the females. The ivermectin treatment did not affect offspring number or quality. However, the FEC was positively correlated with number of offspring. In the laboratory experiment, the percent lymphocyte/granulocyte count changed with parasite intensity at low energy intake, which was relaxed at high energy intake. This study demonstrated positive effects of food availability and neutral effects of parasitism on A. semotus reproduction. However, the benefits of food availability for the females need to take into account the offspring number–quality trade‐off, and at high infection intensity, parasitism might negatively affect offspring quality for the males. We suggest that food availability could mediate the relationships between parasite intensity and immune responses.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 56%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…The home range size is c . 1513–2547 m 2 (Lin & Shiraishi, ; Shaner et al., ) with high site fidelity (seasonal shifts in activity center c . 8–25 m; Lin & Shiraishi, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effects of food and parasitism on reproductive performance of a wild rodent

Shaner

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Acanthocephalan parasites in sea otters: Why we need to look beyond associated mortality…

Shanebeck

Lagrue

2019

Marine Mammal Science

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The acanthocephalan parasite, Corynosoma enhydri, uses sea otters (Enhydra lutris) as definitive host. Despite high prevalence and abundance in southern sea otters (E. l. nereis), sublethal impacts of infection on otter health are unknown. Parasites are an integral part of ecosystem structure and functioning. Many affect host behavior, reproduction, predation, or prey preference. Parasites can suppress host immune response, facilitate secondary bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections, and influence concurrent microbial infection. Acanthocephalan infections can have significant effects on host metabolism, digestion, nutrient absorption, and energetics. Because high metabolic expenditures and resource limitations are known to affect southern sea otter populations, even subtle effects of infection could negatively impact individual health and population recovery. In this review we summarize reports of host–parasite‐environmental interactions for helminth infections and discuss how these same attributes could manifest in southern sea otters and coastal food web dynamics. Based on these data, investigation of potential sublethal impacts of C. enhydri is warranted. We recommend expanding understanding of the significance of parasites in marine ecosystems beyond associated mortality. Future investigation into the ecological implications of sublethal effects are essential to fully grasp parasite impacts on host populations, and predict potential additive effects with climate change in ecosystem functioning.

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Modification of host social networks by manipulative parasites

Poulin

2018

Behav.

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Social network models provide a powerful tool to estimate infection risk for individual hosts and track parasite transmission through host populations. Here, bringing together concepts from social network theory, animal personality, and parasite manipulation of host behaviour, I argue that not only are social networks shaping parasite transmission, but parasites in turn shape social networks through their effects on the behaviour of infected individuals. Firstly, I review five general categories of behaviour (mating behaviour, aggressiveness, activity levels, spatial distribution, and group formation) that are closely tied to social networks, and provide evidence that parasites can affect all of them. Secondly, I describe scenarios in which behaviour-altering parasites can modify either the role or position of individual hosts within their social network, or various structural properties (e.g., connectance, modularity) of the entire network. Experimental approaches allowing comparisons of social networks pre- versus post-infection are a promising avenue to explore the feedback loop between social networks and parasite infections.

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Spacing behaviors and spatial recruitment of a wild rodent in response to parasitism

Cited by 4 publications

References 62 publications

The effects of food and parasitism on reproductive performance of a wild rodent

The effects of food and parasitism on reproductive performance of a wild rodent

Acanthocephalan parasites in sea otters: Why we need to look beyond associated mortality…

Modification of host social networks by manipulative parasites

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