Data from: Seasonal host community dynamics constrain the risk of parasite transmission between migrant and resident species

Seasonal migration shapes the community dynamics that influence pathogen
transmission between migrants and resident species. While theoretical and
empirical evidence has accumulated, whether migration
increases or decreases the risk of cross-species infection
remains inconclusive. We studied how the seasonal arrival
and departure of a single avian migrant species change the
composition of local communities in breeding areas affecting the
haemosporidian infection dynamics. The seasonal reordering of resident
species abundances induced by migrants, minimizes the
opportunities for contact between highly infected hosts and
susceptible species, either migrants or residents, thereby
limiting the transmission of parasites to occasional
spillover events. The occurrence of spillover dynamics during the
seasonal sympatry between migrants and residents provides a
plausible explanation that reconciles empirical inconsistencies in the
intersection of animal migration and infection risk at the host
community level. Our findings underscore the critical role played
by seasonality in shaping infection dynamics in migratory
systems.