Parasitic infection reduces dispersal of ciliate host.
Biol Lett
; 7(3): 327-9, 2011 Jun 23.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20961885
ABSTRACT
Parasitic infection can modify host mobility and consequently their dispersal capacity. We experimentally investigated this idea using the ciliate Paramecium caudatum and its bacterial parasite Holospora undulata. We compared the short-distance dispersal of infected and uninfected populations in interconnected microcosms. Infection reduced the proportion of hosts dispersing, with levels differing among host clones. Host populations with higher densities showed lower dispersal, possibly owing to social aggregation behaviour. Parasite isolates that depleted host populations most had the lowest impact on host dispersal. Parasite-induced modification of dispersal may have consequences for the spatial distribution of disease, host and parasite genetic population structure, and coevolution.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Holosporaceae
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Paramecium caudatum
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Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article