Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

Predator-Prey Interactions

16.6K
Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
16.6K
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

22.1K
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
22.1K
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

13.1K
Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the...
13.1K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

31.5K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
31.5K
Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

29.4K
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
29.4K
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

40.9K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
40.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Temporal changes in intensity of bird parasite infections are dependent on latitude in the Western Palearctic.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Misusing research to trap songbirds in Spain.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Threshold responses of birds to agricultural intensification in Mediterranean olive groves.

Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America·2025
Same author

Multihost/Multivector Community Network: Disentangling Sandfly Species and Host Interactions in Avian Habitats.

Transboundary and emerging diseases·2025
Same author

A Literature Review on the Role of the Invasive <i>Aedes albopictus</i> in the Transmission of Avian Malaria Parasites.

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI·2024
Same author

Comment on "Solar parks can enhance bird diversity in agricultural landscape" by Jarčuška et al.

Journal of environmental management·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 6, 2025

Collecting Marine Gnathiid Isopod Fish Parasites with Light Traps
06:43

Collecting Marine Gnathiid Isopod Fish Parasites with Light Traps

Published on: September 25, 2023

1.5K

Context-dependent insect predation pressure on an avian ectoparasite.

Angela Salido1,2, Jesús Veiga2,3,4, Joaquín Luis Reyes-López1

  • 1Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.

Insect Science
|March 18, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Predator pressure on avian ectoparasites (Carnus hemapterus) varies with environmental conditions like rainfall and vegetation. This insect predation is context-dependent, changing significantly between years but not habitats.

Keywords:
Carnus hemapterusantsarid areasconsumer-resource interactionecosystem productivitypredator-parasiterainfall

More Related Videos

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients
07:34

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Published on: August 22, 2018

8.3K
Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences
12:14

Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences

Published on: November 17, 2023

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 6, 2025

Collecting Marine Gnathiid Isopod Fish Parasites with Light Traps
06:43

Collecting Marine Gnathiid Isopod Fish Parasites with Light Traps

Published on: September 25, 2023

1.5K
Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients
07:34

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Published on: August 22, 2018

8.3K
Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences
12:14

Exploring Life History Choices: Using Temperature and Substrate Type as Interacting Factors for Blowfly Larval and Female Preferences

Published on: November 17, 2023

1.4K

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Parasitology
  • Predator-prey dynamics

Background:

  • Context dependence, where ecological interactions vary with conditions, is crucial for understanding host-parasite dynamics.
  • The context dependence of parasite interactions, particularly predation on ectoparasites, remains understudied.
  • Avian ectoparasites like Carnus hemapterus are important in host-parasite ecology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the extent to which predation pressure on the avian ectoparasite Carnus hemapterus is context-dependent.
  • To quantify predation pressure on C. hemapterus pupae over three years and across different habitat types.
  • To explore the influence of environmental factors like precipitation and NDVI on predation pressure.

Main Methods:

  • A predator-exclusion experiment was conducted over three years to assess predation on C. hemapterus pupae.
  • Predation pressure was quantified in host nests across various habitat types.
  • Environmental data, including precipitation and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), were analyzed in relation to predation rates.

Main Results:

  • The proportion of nests experiencing significant pupae reduction varied greatly annually (24%–75%).
  • Average pupae reduction in affected nests did not differ significantly between years.
  • No significant differences in predation rates were found between habitat types (trees, cliffs, farmhouses).
  • Predation pressure showed parallels with annual precipitation and NDVI, with higher predation in the driest year.

Conclusions:

  • Insect predation pressure on this avian ectoparasite is clearly context-dependent under natural conditions.
  • The interaction's magnitude did not vary between years, but its sign (presence/absence of significant reduction) did.
  • Further long-term studies are needed to fully elucidate the causes of these variations.