Experimental parasite community ecology: intraspecific variation in a large tapeworm affects community assembly

Non-random species associations occur in naturally-sampled parasite communities. The processes resulting in predictable community structure (e.g. particular host behaviours, cross-immunity, interspecific competition) could be affected by traits that vary within a parasite species, like growth or antigenicity. We experimentally infected three-spined sticklebacks with a large tapeworm (Schistocephalus solidus) that impacts the energy needs, foraging behaviour, and immune reactions of its host. The tapeworms came from two populations, characterized by high or low growth in sticklebacks. Our goal was to evaluate how this parasite, and variation in its growth, affects the acquisition of other parasites. Fish infected with S. solidus were placed into cages in a lake to expose them to the natural parasite community. We also performed a lab experiment in which infected fish were exposed to a fixed dose of a common trematode parasite. In the field experiment, infection with S. solidus affected t...自然采样获得的寄生虫群落中存在非随机的物种关联。驱动群落形成可预测结构的过程（例如宿主特定行为、交叉免疫、种间竞争），可能会受到寄生虫种内变异性状的影响，如生长特性或抗原性。本研究通过实验使三刺棘鱼（three-spined sticklebacks）感染大型绦虫（Schistocephalus solidus），该绦虫可影响宿主的能量需求、觅食行为与免疫反应。该绦虫来源于两个种群，分别在棘鱼体内呈现高生长速率与低生长速率特征。本研究旨在评估该寄生虫及其生长变异如何影响其他寄生虫的感染获得。将感染S. solidus的棘鱼放置于湖泊网箱中，使其暴露于自然寄生虫群落。此外我们还开展了室内实验，将感染的棘鱼暴露于固定剂量的常见吸虫寄生虫。在野外实验中，感染S. solidus会影响……