Temporal prey distribution affects the competitive ability of parasitized sticklebacks

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Animal Behavior
• Parasitology

Background:

• Parasitized animals often exhibit reduced competitive abilities in foraging studies.
• Natural competition is complex, involving varied regimes and foraging skills.
• The impact of parasitism on foraging competition across different scenarios remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how infection with Schistocephalus solidus affects the foraging success of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) under varying competitive conditions.
• To determine if parasitism equally impairs foraging ability across different prey distribution patterns and competition types.

Main Methods:

• Experimental study comparing foraging success of infected and uninfected three-spined sticklebacks.
• Assessed foraging under two conditions: sequentially introduced prey items and simultaneously presented prey in a dense patch.
• Quantified prey capture by infected and uninfected conspecifics.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in prey capture between infected and uninfected sticklebacks when prey items were introduced sequentially.
• Uninfected sticklebacks were more successful in direct competition for prey.
• When prey was presented simultaneously in a dense patch, uninfected fish consumed significantly more food due to superior rapid prey capture ability.

Conclusions:

• The competitive ability of parasitized sticklebacks is influenced by the type of competition, specifically prey distribution patterns.
• Parasitism's impact on foraging success is context-dependent, not uniform across all competitive scenarios.
• These findings suggest implications for the distribution of parasite infection classes in natural environments.