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Biogeographical region and host trophic level determine carnivore endoparasite richness in the Iberian Peninsula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2011

L. M. ROSALINO ,
M. J. SANTOS ,
C. FERNANDES  and
M. SANTOS-REIS
L. M. ROSALINO*
Affiliation:
Universidade de Lisboa, Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Ed. C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
M. J. SANTOS
Affiliation:
University of California Davis, Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
C. FERNANDES
Affiliation:
Universidade de Lisboa, Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Ed. C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
M. SANTOS-REIS
Affiliation:
Universidade de Lisboa, Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Ed. C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
*
*Corresponding author: Universidade de Lisboa, Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Ed. C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal. Tel: +351 217500000 ext. 22541. Fax: +351 217500028. E-mail: lmrosalino@fc.ul.pt
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Summary

We address the question of whether host and/or environmental factors might affect endoparasite richness and distribution, using carnivores as a model. We reviewed studies published in international peer-reviewed journals (34 areas in the Iberian Peninsula), describing parasite prevalence and richness in carnivores, and collected information on site location, host bio-ecology, climate and detected taxa (Helminths, Protozoa and Mycobacterium spp.). Three hypotheses were tested (i) host based, (ii) environmentally based, and (iii) hybrid (combination of environmental and host). Multicollinearity reduced candidate variable number for modelling to 5: host weight, phylogenetic independent contrasts (host weight), mean annual temperature, host trophic level and biogeographical region. General Linear Mixed Modelling was used and the best model was a hybrid model that included biogeographical region and host trophic level. Results revealed that endoparasite richness is higher in Mediterranean areas, especially for the top predators. We suggest that the detected parasites may benefit from mild environmental conditions that occur in southern regions. Top predators have larger home ranges and are likely to be subjected to cascading effects throughout the food web, resulting in more infestation opportunities and potentially higher endoparasite richness. This study suggests that richness may be more affected by historical and regional processes (including climate) than by host ecological processes.

Keywords

host-parasite associationsendoparasite richnessCarnivoraHelminthsProtozoaMycobacteriumIberian Peninsula
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 138 , Issue 6 , May 2011 , pp. 758 - 765
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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