Parasites as predators: unifying natural enemy ecology
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Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
Thomas R Raffel1, Lynn B Martin, Jason R Rohr
1Department of Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USA. traffel@cas.usf.edu
Abstract:
Parasitism and predation have long been considered analogous interactions. Yet by and large, ecologists continue to study parasite-host and predator-prey ecology separately. Here we discuss strengths and shortcomings of the parasite-as-predator analogy and its potential to provide new insights into both fields. Developments in predator-prey ecology, such as temporal risk allocation and associational resistance, can drive new hypotheses for parasite-host systems. Concepts developed in parasite-host ecology, such as threshold host densities and phylodynamics, might provide new ideas for predator-prey ecology. Topics such as trait-mediated indirect effects and enemy-mediated facilitation provide opportunities for the two fields to work together. We suggest that greater unification of predator-prey and parasite-host ecology would foster advances in both fields.
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