The ghost of hosts past: impacts of host extinction on parasite specificity

A growing body of research is focused on the extinction of parasite species in response to host endangerment and declines. Beyond the loss of parasite species richness, host extinction can impact apparent parasite host specificity, as measured by host richness or the phylogenetic distances among hosts. Such impacts on the distribution of parasites across the host phylogeny can have knock-on effects that may reshape the adaptation of both hosts and parasites, ultimately shifting the evolutionary landscape underlying the potential for emergence and the evolution of virulence across hosts. Here, we examine how the reshaping of host phylogenies through extinction may impact the host specificity of parasites, and offer examples from historical extinctions, present-day endangerment, and future projections of biodiversity loss. We suggest that an improved understanding of the impact of host extinction on contemporary host–parasite interactions may shed light on core aspects of disease ecology, including comparative studies of host specificity, virulence evolution in multi-host parasite systems, and future trajectories for host and parasite biodiversity. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Infectious disease macroecology: parasite diversity and dynamics across the globe’.

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The ghost of hosts past: impacts of host extinction on parasite specificity

10.32942/osf.io/euza8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maxwell Jenner Farrell ◽

Andrew Park ◽

Clay Cressler ◽

Tad Dallas ◽

Shan Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Specificity ◽

Disease Ecology ◽

Parasite Species ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Virulence Evolution ◽

Host Phylogeny ◽

Parasite Biodiversity ◽

Host Parasite ◽

The Impact ◽

Host Extinction

A growing body of research is focused on the extinction of parasite species in response to host endangerment and declines. Beyond the loss of parasite species richness, host extinction can impact apparent parasite host specificity, as measured by host richness or the phylogenetic distances among hosts. Such impacts on the distribution of parasites across the host phylogeny can have knock-on effects that may reshape the adaptation of both hosts and parasites, ultimately shifting the evolutionary landscape underlying the potential for emergence and the evolution of virulence across hosts. Here we examine how the reshaping of host phylogenies through extinction may impact the host specificity of parasites, and offer examples from historical extinctions, present-day endangerment, and future projections of biodiversity loss. We suggest that an improved understanding of the impact of host extinction on contemporary host-parasite interactions may shed light on core aspects of disease ecology, including comparative studies of host specificity, virulence evolution in multi-host parasite systems, and future trajectories for host and parasite biodiversity.

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Analysis of large new South African dataset using two host-specificity indices shows generalism in both adult and larval ticks of mammals

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182015001730 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 143 (3) ◽

pp. 366-373 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

MARCELA P. A. ESPINAZE ◽

ELÉONORE HELLARD ◽

IVAN G. HORAK ◽

GRAEME S. CUMMING

Keyword(s):

Host Specificity ◽

South African ◽

New South ◽

Life Stage ◽

Host Preferences ◽

Infestation Intensity ◽

Host Parasite Interactions ◽

Host Phylogeny ◽

Pathogen Control ◽

Host Parasite

SUMMARYTicks and tick-borne pathogens can have considerable impacts on the health of livestock, wildlife and people. Knowledge of tick–host preferences is necessary for both tick and pathogen control. Ticks were historically considered as specialist parasites, but the range of sampled host species has been limited, infestation intensity has not been included in prior analyses, and phylogenetic distances between hosts have not been previously considered. We used a large dataset of 35 604 individual collections and two host-specificity indices to assess the specificity of 61 South African tick species, as well as distinctions between adult and juvenile ticks, for 95 mammalian hosts. When accounting for host phylogeny, most adult and juvenile ticks behaved as generalists, with juveniles being significantly more generalist than adults. When we included the intensity of tick infestation, ticks exhibited a wider diversity of specificity in all life stages. Our results show that ticks of mammals in South Africa tend to behave largely as generalists and that adult ticks are more host-specific. More generally, our analysis shows that the incorporation of life-stage differences, infestation intensity and phylogenetic distances between hosts, as well as the use of more than one specificity index, can all contribute to a deeper understanding of host–parasite interactions.

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One snail – three Digenea species, different strategies in host-parasite interaction

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/157075511x554383 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 1-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Elżbieta Żbikowska

Keyword(s):

Intermediate Host ◽

Parasite Species ◽

Lymnaea Stagnalis ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

Diplostomum Pseudospathaceum ◽

Second Intermediate Host ◽

Host Parasite ◽

The Impact ◽

Plagiorchis Elegans ◽

First Intermediate Host

AbstractThe mostly lab-based studies on snail-trematode interactions should be complemented by research on naturally invaded hosts. In this mini-review, three different ways of snail exploitation by Digenea larvae are presented. Morphological, physiological and behavioral changes caused by three parasites in the same naturally infected host – Lymnaea stagnalis – differ in species-dependent fashion. The impact of a snail-trematode interaction depends on parasite virulence (i.e. parasite induced lost of fitness of the host). The pathogenicity varies with the survival strategy of the invader. Sporocyst-born Plagiorchis elegans, which uses the same Lymnaea stagnalis individual as a first but also as a second intermediate host, does not disturb host processes as strongly as redia-born Echinoparyphium aconiatum. The third parasite species – Diplostomum pseudospathaceum, also sporocyst-born – is more virulent than P. elegans, but it can modify and relax host exploitation to overwinter in the snail. The data presented demonstrate that successful use of first intermediate host can be arranged in different ways.

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Linking community and disease ecology: the impact of biodiversity on pathogen transmission

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2011.0364 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 367 (1604) ◽

pp. 2807-2813 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Benjamin Roche ◽

Andrew P. Dobson ◽

Jean-François Guégan ◽

Pejman Rohani

Keyword(s):

Host Species ◽

Disease Ecology ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Pathogen Transmission ◽

Community Diversity ◽

Ecological Interactions ◽

Disease Emergence ◽

Pathogen Dynamics ◽

Wildlife Pathogens ◽

The Impact

The increasing number of zoonotic diseases spilling over from a range of wild animal species represents a particular concern for public health, especially in light of the current dramatic trend of biodiversity loss. To understand the ecology of these multi-host pathogens and their response to environmental degradation and species extinctions, it is necessary to develop a theoretical framework that takes into account realistic community assemblages. Here, we present a multi-host species epidemiological model that includes empirically determined patterns of diversity and composition derived from community ecology studies. We use this framework to study the interaction between wildlife diversity and directly transmitted pathogen dynamics. First, we demonstrate that variability in community composition does not affect significantly the intensity of pathogen transmission. We also show that the consequences of community diversity can differentially impact the prevalence of pathogens and the number of infectious individuals. Finally, we show that ecological interactions among host species have a weaker influence on pathogen circulation than inter-species transmission rates. We conclude that integration of a community perspective to study wildlife pathogens is crucial, especially in the context of understanding and predicting infectious disease emergence events.

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An annotated list of fish parasites (Copepoda, Monogenea, Digenea, Cestoda and Nematoda) collected from Emperors and Emperor Bream (Lethrinidae) in New Caledonia further highlights parasite biodiversity estimates on coral reef fish

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2691.1.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2691 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

JEAN-LOU JUSTINE ◽

IAN BEVERIDGE ◽

GEOFFREY A. BOXSHALL ◽

ROD A. BRAY ◽

FRANTIŠEK MORAVEC ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Fish Species ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Parasite Species ◽

New Caledonia ◽

Species Level ◽

Fish Parasites ◽

Parasite Biodiversity ◽

Host Parasite

Parasites were collected from 17 species of emperors and emperor bream (Lethrinidae) in the waters off New Caledonia, South Pacific. Host-parasite and parasite-hosts lists are provided, with a total of 188 host-parasite combinations (11 per fish species), including 81 identifications at the species level. A total of 52 parasites were identified at the species level, and 40 new host records were found. Results are presented for larval isopods, copepods (16 species), monogeneans (24), digeneans (27), cestodes (11) and nematodes (10). When results were restricted to the four best-sampled fish species for which more than 30 specimens were examined, the number of host-parasite combinations was 22.25 per fish species, and the number of parasite taxa identified at the species level was 9.5 per fish species. From these data, the total number of metazoan parasite species predicted from all lethrinid species of New Caledonia, based on a classification of fish sizes using length in three categories, is 340, i.e. 13 per fish species. A biogeographical comparison with Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia) was possible only for a single fish species, Lethrinus miniatus: in a total of 65 host-parasite combinations, only five taxa identified at the species level (three monogeneans and two digeneans) were shared at both localities. Parasite biodiversity in lethrinids was of similar magnitude to that in groupers (Serranidae Epinephelinae) in the same area, and this study confirms a previous prediction of 10 parasite species per coral reef fish species. Although this study required significant sampling and identification, we estimate that only 13% of the parasites of lethrinids are known in New Caledonia.

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Ecological Specificity of Parasites of Some Embiotocid Fishes

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada ◽

10.1139/f67-176 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 24 (10) ◽

pp. 2161-2168 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hisao P. Arai

Keyword(s):

Host Specificity ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

The Family ◽

Host Phylogeny ◽

Parasite Evolution ◽

Ecological Specificity ◽

Host Parasite

An investigation of the relative roles of phylogenetic and ecological factors in determining host specificity at the intrafamilial level in fishes of the family Embiotocidae has been made. The results do not show indications that specificity is related to host phylogeny, i.e. parallel host–parasite evolution is not apparent. However, data are presented which strongly support the contention that specificity of parasites in Cymatogaster aggregata is determined by factors which are of an ecological nature.

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Ears in the Sky: Potential of Drones for the Bioacoustic Monitoring of Birds and Bats

Drones ◽

10.3390/drones5010009 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 9

Author(s):

Adrien Michez ◽

Stéphane Broset ◽

Philippe Lejeune

Keyword(s):

Forest Canopy ◽

Low Cost ◽

Population Monitoring ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Active Species ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Technical Developments ◽

High Resolution Imagery ◽

Human Operators ◽

The Impact

In the context of global biodiversity loss, wildlife population monitoring is a major challenge. Some innovative techniques such as the use of drones—also called unmanned aerial vehicle/system (UAV/UAS)—offer promising opportunities. The potential of UAS-based wildlife census using high-resolution imagery is now well established for terrestrial mammals or birds that can be seen on images. Nevertheless, the ability of UASs to detect non-conspicuous species, such as small birds below the forest canopy, remains an open question. This issue can be solved with bioacoustics for acoustically active species such as bats and birds. In this context, UASs represent an interesting solution that could be deployed on a larger scale, at lower risk for the operator, and over hard-to-reach locations, such as forest canopies or complex topographies, when compared with traditional protocols (fixed location recorders placed or handled by human operators). In this context, this study proposes a methodological framework to assess the potential of UASs in bioacoustic surveys for birds and bats, using low-cost audible and ultrasound recorders mounted on a low-cost quadcopter UAS (DJI Phantom 3 Pro). The proposed methodological workflow can be straightforwardly replicated in other contexts to test the impact of other UAS bioacoustic recording platforms in relation to the targeted species and the specific UAS design. This protocol allows one to evaluate the sensitivity of UAS approaches through the estimate of the effective detection radius for the different species investigated at several flight heights. The results of this study suggest a strong potential for the bioacoustic monitoring of birds but are more contrasted for bat recordings, mainly due to quadcopter noise (i.e., electronic speed controller (ESC) noise) but also, in a certain manner, to the experimental design (use of a directional speaker with limited call intensity). Technical developments, such as the use of a winch to safely extent the distance between the UAS and the recorder during UAS sound recordings or the development of an innovative platform, such as a plane–blimp hybrid UAS, should make it possible to solve these issues.

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Assessing Habitat Vulnerability and Loss of Naturalness: Applying the GLOBIO3 Model in the Czech Republic

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13105355 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 5355

Author(s):

Vilém Pechanec ◽

Ondřej Cudlín ◽

Miloš Zapletal ◽

Jan Purkyt ◽

Lenka Štěrbová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Czech Republic ◽

Habitat Quality ◽

Species Abundance ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Infrastructure Development ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

New Equation ◽

The Impact

Global and regional biodiversity loss is caused by several drivers including urban development, land use intensification, overexploitation of natural resources, environmental pollution, and climate change. The main aim of our study was to adapt the GLOBIO3 model to the conditions of the Czech Republic (CR) to assess loss of naturalness and biodiversity vulnerability at the habitat level on a detailed scale across the entire CR. An additional aim was to assess the main drivers affecting the biodiversity of habitat types. The GLOBIO3 model was adapted to CZ-GLOBIO by adapting global to local scales and using habitat quality and naturalness data instead of species occurrence data. The total mean species abundance (MSA) index of habitat quality, calculated from the spatial overlay of the four MSA indicators by our new equation, reached the value 0.62. The total value of MSA for natural and near-natural habitats was found to be affected mainly by infrastructure development and fragmentation. Simultaneously, intensity of land use change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition contributed primarily to the low total value of MSA for distant natural habitats. The CZ-GLOBIO model can be an important tool in political decision making to reduce the impact of the main drivers on habitat biodiversity in the CR.

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The Road to Sustainable Development: Existing Problems and Solutions

International Journal for Modern Trends in Science and Technology - RTT2020 ◽

10.46501/ijmtst0709015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (09) ◽

pp. 91-95

Author(s):

Kaustubh Jain

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Developing Countries ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

The Road ◽

Existing Problems ◽

Problems And Solutions ◽

Long Time ◽

The Impact

The debate about developing countries having to choose between economic growth and biodiversity protection has been going on for a long time. This paper sought to add to existing literature written on that topic by exploring the relationship between economic growth and biodiversity loss. It argued that in the long term, developing countries need to protect biodiversity as a prerequisite for economic growth to occur and that the severe impact of biodiversity loss on vulnerable indigenous communities is a reason enough to make the protection of biodiversity a priority. The researcher first identified the primary reasons for why biodiversity occurs, then advocated for the prevention of biodiversity by exploring two impacts of biodiversity loss: the impact on indigenous communities and the impact on economic growth. The paper then briefly also explained the policies that both governments, as well as nongovernment actors, can implement in order to tackle biodiversity loss and protect our environment.

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