Parasite transmission stage abundance varies in lakes over time and space

Environmentally transmitted parasites produce transmission stages that can remain viable and infective for extended periods of time in the environment where susceptible hosts may encounter them. Although many parasites have this mode of transmission, the abundance and distribution of environmental transmission stages have largely been overlooked, especially in aquatic habitats. Without empirical data to characterize spatial and temporal dynamics of parasite transmission stages in the environment, we might make incorrect assumptions about host-parasite contact rates. For aquatic environments, seasonal habitat structure driven by thermal stratification has been hypothesized to affect the patchiness of transmission stages within the water column, leading to uneven exposure risk to hosts. In this study, we quantified transmission stage concentrations of five common parasites of Daphnia spp. and Ceriodaphnia dubia at every meter of the water column at the deep basin of six lakes in southeast..., , , # Parasite transmission stage abundance varies in lakes over time and space

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.s7h44j1gb](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.s7h44j1gb)

## Description of the data and file structure

Davenport et al. study on parasite environmental transmission stage distribution in lakes

The files include all the data and code used to create the figures in the Davenport et al. manuscript. Data collection was led by Elizabeth Davenport and supported by Marcin Dziuba, Logan Jacobson, Siobhan Calhoun, and Kira Monell. Elizabeth Davenport and Meghan Duffy of the University of Michigan created figures.

#### Description of the data and file structure

1\. scripts: this contains the code used to create figures.

2\. data: this contains the data collected during the study.

**Spore Concentrations and Outbreak Data**

Data and code for 2021 field study led by Elizabeth Davenport

Citation: Parasite transmission stage abundance varies in lakes over time and space

Authors: Elizabeth S....