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Parasite transmission between trophic levels stabilizes predator-prey interaction.
Akiyoshi Rogawa1, Shigeki Ogata1, Akihiko Mougi2
1Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue, 690-8504, Japan.
Scientific Reports
|August 18, 2018
Summary
Manipulative parasites alter host behavior to enhance transmission, promoting host-parasite coexistence. This study reveals that parasite-induced host manipulation stabilizes ecological community dynamics, preventing population cycles.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Mathematical Biology
Background:
- Manipulative parasites alter host phenotypes to increase transmission, suggesting a mechanism for host-parasite coexistence.
- The impact of host manipulation on ecological community stability is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of host manipulation by parasites on the stability of ecological communities.
- To elucidate the mechanisms through which host manipulation influences population dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Development and analysis of a mathematical model.
- Simulation of parasite transmission between trophic levels (intermediate host prey and final host predator).
Main Results:
- Parasites that do not manipulate hosts can destabilize prey-predator systems, leading to population cycles.
- Host manipulation by parasites can dampen or eliminate these population cycles, stabilizing the community.
- Stronger manipulation leads to greater stabilization of population dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Host manipulation by parasites can stabilize ecological communities, facilitating long-term coexistence.
- This stabilization appears to be a self-organized outcome of parasite evolution.
- Host manipulation plays a crucial role in maintaining community stability in predator-prey systems.
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