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Published on: May 31, 2024
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Parasite evolution of host manipulation strategies with fluctuating ecological dynamics
Megan Grace Oliver1, Alex Best1
1School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|February 1, 2024
Summary
Parasitic manipulation of prey behavior evolves when large prey populations and low predation risk favor it over spore production. This strategy aids parasite transmission to definitive hosts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Trophically transmitted parasites manipulate intermediate host behavior to increase transmission to definitive hosts.
- The evolutionary drivers and conditions favoring behavioral manipulation over other transmission strategies remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary conditions favoring parasite behavioral manipulation strategies.
- To explore the trade-off between manipulation and parasite production of free-living spores.
Main Methods:
- Development of the first evolutionary invasion model for parasite manipulation.
- Analysis of the influence of susceptible prey population size and predation threat on evolutionary outcomes.
Main Results:
- Parasite manipulation evolves when the susceptible prey population is large and predation threat is relatively small.
- Selection favors manipulation over spore production under these specific ecological conditions.
- Cyclic population dynamics can influence the direction of evolutionary selection.
Conclusions:
- Prey population size and predation risk are key factors driving the evolution of parasite manipulation.
- Behavioral manipulation is favored under specific ecological conditions, balancing transmission and parasite production.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for predicting parasite evolution and transmission patterns.
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