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How intraguild predation affects the host diversity-disease relationship in a multihost community
Min Su1, Yuanqi Yang1, Cang Hui2
1School of Mathematics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
Journal of Theoretical Biology
|January 29, 2020
Summary
Species interactions, like intraguild predation (IGP), significantly influence disease dynamics in diverse communities. Predation can shift host diversity
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Epidemiology
- Community Ecology
Background:
- Host diversity often reduces disease prevalence, but the role of species interactions is unclear.
- Intraguild predation (IGP) and parasite-mediated indirect effects can strongly influence parasitic infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how predatory interactions shape disease transmission in a multihost community.
- To determine the impact of varying intraguild predation levels on the host diversity-disease relationship.
Main Methods:
- Manipulated fractions of intraguild predation within a competitive community.
- Analyzed the effects of trait-mediated and density-mediated interactions on disease transmission.
Main Results:
- Species richness effects on disease establishment/prevalence depend on the fraction of predatory interactions.
- Without IGP, high host diversity may weaken the dilution effect and enhance disease.
- IGP generally strengthens the negative diversity-disease relationship by reducing host-parasite encounters.
Conclusions:
- Species interactions are crucial for understanding the host diversity-disease relationship.
- Predatory interactions, particularly density-mediated effects, significantly influence disease transmission dynamics.
Keywords:
Dilution effectHost diversity-disease relationshipIndirect effectIntraguild predationSpecies interactionMore Related Videos
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