Helminth communities in avocets: importance of the compound community

This paper reports patterns of similarity and overlap in species presence and patterns of linear distribution of intestinal helminths in 22 avocets from 4 populations. Avocets collected from ephemeral bodies of water in Alberta and Manitoba had communities composed largely of species that are avocet specialists plus some that are host generalists. The composition of helminth communities in these hosts was similar to that reported in earlier surveys of avocet helminths. There was little evidence for competition between helminth species in these communities. In contrast, avocets collected from permanent bodies of water in Alberta had communities composed largely of species that are specialists in various duck species, particularly lesser scaup. These helminths were superimposed on the normal community, fitting into linear gaps along the intestine but also overlapping the distributions of avocet specialists. These lesser scaup specialists exhibit interactive patterns amongst themselves and, to some extent, with avocet specialists. Helminth communities in avocets from ephemeral bodies of water have vacant niches and are largely isolationist in nature. Those in avocets from permanent bodies of water are saturated and are more interactive in nature.