This De-Wormed World?

Loker, Eric S.

doi:10.1645/13-390.1

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…These roles are hidden because the ecosystem of a parasite (ie inside the host) is often nested within the ecosystems that ecologists are accustomed to considering (eg forests, grasslands, coral reefs). A better understanding of how parasites contribute to the communities and ecosystems in which they are embedded is a critical need as we consider how to make the world “less wormy” (Loker 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A world without parasites: exploring the hidden ecology of infection

Wood

Johnson

2015

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

127

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Parasites have historically been considered a scourge, deserving of annihilation. Although parasite eradications rank among humanity's greatest achievements, new research is shedding light on the collateral effects of parasite loss. Here, we explore a “world without parasites”: a thought experiment for illuminating the ecological roles that parasites play in ecosystems. While there is robust evidence for the effects of parasites on host individuals (eg affecting host vital rates), this exercise highlights how little we know about the influence of parasites on communities and ecosystems (eg altering energy flow through food webs). We present hypotheses for novel, interesting, and general effects of parasites. These hypotheses are largely untested, and should be considered a springboard for future research. While many uncertainties exist, the available evidence suggests that a world without parasites would be very different from the world we know, with effects extending from host individuals to populations, communities, and even ecosystems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A world without parasites: exploring the hidden ecology of infection

Wood

Johnson

2015

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

127

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Schistosomiasis, filariasis, and geohelminth infections still cause untold misery, along with their protistan counterparts such as leishmaniasis and amebiasis, especially in the tropics. But these infectious diseases also have inspired generations of parasitologists to apply their time, talents, and intellectual resources to find cures, or develop control methods, and thus provide relief from the economic and social burdens caused by parasitic organisms (Kuris, 2012;Loker, 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%