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Host manipulation as a parasite transmission strategy when manipulation is exploited by non-host predators
1EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland. otto.seppaelae@eawag.ch
Biology Letters
|August 14, 2008
Summary
Parasitic manipulation of intermediate hosts increases predation risk for transmission. This host manipulation does not have to be specific to be adaptive, but depends on overall predation risk levels.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Trophically transmitted parasites often manipulate intermediate host phenotypes to increase predation.
- This manipulation is thought to enhance parasite transmission to the definitive host.
- However, the adaptive value is debated due to potential costs, like increased predation by unsuitable predators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To formally evaluate the prediction that parasite-induced host manipulation must be specific to be adaptive.
- To determine the conditions under which nonspecific host manipulation can evolve and be adaptive.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical evaluation of parasite-host-predator dynamics.
- Modeling parasite transmission success under varying specificity and predation risks.
Main Results:
- Parasite-induced host manipulation does not require specificity to be adaptive.
- Nonspecific manipulation is adaptive if it sufficiently increases overall host predation risk.
- The adaptiveness of nonspecific manipulation is contingent on the initial predation risk faced by the host.
Conclusions:
- Nonspecific host manipulation can evolve in nature.
- The adaptive value of a specific manipulation strategy is context-dependent, varying with parasite population and initial predation risk.
- Understanding the interplay between manipulation specificity and environmental predation risk is crucial for parasite evolution.
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