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Within-host competition and diversification of macro-parasites
Rascalou Guilhem1, Andrea Simková, Serge Morand
1UMR 5244 CNRS-UPVD 'Ecologie et Evolution des Interactions', Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan 66100, France.
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|June 15, 2012
Summary
Competitive speciation can drive parasite diversification within hosts. This study shows the conditions for parasite speciation are similar to free-living species, regardless of parasite aggregation.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Parasitology
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- Competitive speciation is a recognized driver of sympatric speciation in non-parasitic species.
- Its role in the intra-host diversification of parasites remains largely unexplored.
- Macro-parasite life history traits are crucial for understanding within-host evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend the theory of competitive speciation to macro-parasites.
- To investigate the influence of macro-parasite life history on sympatric speciation under a pleiotropic scenario.
- To analyze the conditions for intra-host diversification driven by competition.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of within-host competition into the Anderson and May framework.
- Modeling resource exploitation using a quantitative trait.
- Derivation of the mutant invasion fitness function considering various host distributions.
Main Results:
- Mutant fitness is contingent on macro-parasite life history and distribution within hosts.
- The conditions for competitive speciation in macro-parasites mirror those in free-living species.
- Within-host competitive speciation is independent of parasite aggregation levels.
Conclusions:
- Competitive speciation is a viable mechanism for parasite diversification within hosts.
- Theoretical predictions align with empirical data from monogenean parasites with varying aggregation levels.
- This framework offers new insights into parasite evolution and speciation.
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