Hamiltosporidium tvaerminnensis infection route diet quality

Linking characteristics of parasites to host diet-induced shifts in host-parasite interactions is a critical step in predicting the abundance of specific parasites within an ecosystem. A parasite’s infection route reflects a suite of parasite characteristics that could mediate the effects of host diet quality on host-parasite interactions, but the effect of infection route on the response of host-parasite interactions to host diet quality has not been quantified. We quantified these effects for the first time by experimentally manipulating a parasite capable of transmitting itself via multiple pathways utilized by a wide variety of parasites. We altered the diet phosphorus (P) content of Daphnia infected by the mixed mode transmitter Hamiltosporidian tvaerminnensis via one of two infection routes: horizontal, via the ingestion of spores from dead hosts, or vertical, via the infection of host offspring. Then, we quantified the effect of infection route on host diet-induced shifts in para..., , , # Hamiltosporidium tvaerminnensis infection route diet quality

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1vhhmgr5b](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1vhhmgr5b)

## Description of the data and file structure

*Hamiltosporidium tvaerminnensis* was used to infect *Daphnia magna* via either vertical or horizontal infection routes. Individual spore load, fecundity, and survival were recorded for horizontally infected, vertically infected, and uninfected *D. magna* fed high and low phosphorus diets for 28 days.

### Files and variables

#### File: Oikos\_Infection\_Route\_Phosphorus.csv

**Description:** 

##### Variables

* Diet Phosphorus: The relative amount of phosphorus in the algal (*Scenedesmus obliquus*) diet fed to *Daphnia (high or low).*
* Infection Route: The route used to infect *Daphnia* (Horizontal or Vertical or Uninfected).
* Individual: The identifying number of each individually housed *Daphnia*.
* Dead Day: The Day of the experiment (1-28) the individual was found dead. n/a indicates t...,