Data for: Non-host species reduce parasite infection in a focal host species within experimental fish communities

The dilution effect describes the negative association between host biodiversity and the risk of infectious disease. Tests designed to understand the relative roles of host species richness, host species identity, and rates of exposure within experimental host communities would help resolve ongoing contention regarding the importance and generality of dilution effects. We exposed fathead minnows to infective larvae of the trematode, Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus in minnow-only containers and in mixed containers that held 1-3 other species of fish. Parasite infection was estimated as the numbers of encysted worms (i.e., brainworms) present in minnows following exposure. The results of exposure trials showed that non-minnow fish species were incompatible with O. ptychocheilus larvae. There was no reduction in mean brainworm counts in minnows in mixed containers with brook sticklebacks or longnose dace. In contrast, brainworm counts in minnows declined by 51% and 27% in mesocosms and aq...稀释效应（dilution effect）指宿主生物多样性与传染病风险之间的负相关关系。旨在阐明实验宿主群落中宿主物种丰富度、宿主物种特性以及暴露速率相对作用的相关研究，将有助于解决当前围绕稀释效应重要性与普遍性的持续学术争议。我们分别在仅包含黑头呆鱼的容器，以及搭载1至3种其他鱼类的混合容器中，将黑头呆鱼暴露于复殖吸虫（trematode）叠殖宫吸虫（Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus）的感染性幼虫环境中。寄生虫感染程度以暴露后黑头呆鱼体内的囊蚴（即脑神经虫）数量进行评估。暴露实验结果显示，非黑头呆鱼的鱼类物种无法被叠殖宫吸虫（O. ptychocheilus）幼虫感染。在搭载溪刺鱼（brook sticklebacks）或长吻鱥（longnose dace）的混合容器中，黑头呆鱼体内的脑神经虫平均数量并未出现下降。与之相反，在中宇宙（mesocosms）与水族箱实验体系中，黑头呆鱼体内的脑神经虫数量分别下降了51%与27%，但……