Functional traits shape small mammal-helminth network: patterns and processes in species interactions.
Parasitology
; 148(8): 947-955, 2021 07.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33879271
ABSTRACT
Understanding the role of species traits in mediating ecological interactions and shaping community structure is a key question in ecology. In this sense, parasite population parameters allow us to estimate the functional importance of traits in shaping the strength of interactions among hosts and parasites in a network. The aim of this study was to survey and analyse the small mammal-helminth network in a forest reserve of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest in order to understand (i) how functional traits (type of parasite life cycle, site of infection in their host, host and parasite body length, host diet, host locomotor habit and host activity period) and abundance influence hostparasite interactions, (ii) whether these traits explain species roles, and (iii) if this relationship is consistent across different parasite population parameters (presence and absence, mean abundance and prevalence). Networks were modular and their structural patterns did not vary among the population parameters. Functional traits and abundance shaped the interactions observed between parasites and hosts. Host species abundance, host diet and locomotor habit affected their centrality and/or vulnerability to parasites. For helminths, infection niche was the main trait determining their central roles in the networks.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Rodent Diseases
/
Helminthiasis, Animal
/
Helminths
/
Marsupialia
Type of study:
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Language:
En
Journal:
Parasitology
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil