Work

Insularity effects on the assemblage of the blood parasite community of the birds from the Gulf of Guinea

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: AIM: Lower species diversity, increased population densities and ecological niche enlargement are common characteristics of island faunas. However it remains to be determined if they extend to the parasite community. We tested if Haemosporidia parasite pressure varies between islands and the mainland with two different levels of analysis: i) at the host community level, and ii) with paired-species comparisons between islands and the mainland. LOCATION: Gulf of Guinea, West Africa. METHODS: ) to describe their diversity, prevalence, host specificity and their phylogenetic relationships in five islands of the Gulf of Guinea and in nearby mainland areas. RESULTS: . In addition, lower parasite prevalence on islands was found using a paired-species approach. Although the mean host specificity of the parasite community on islands did not differ from the mainland, we found a very distinct parasite species assemblage on the islands, which was composed of both the most generalist and the most specialist lineages. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the hypothesis that parasite pressure is reduced on islands. Colonization is made by generalists with high host switching capacities, with some subsequently evolving into highly specialised parasites. This suggests that 'taxon cycle' dynamics may explain the assemblage of insular parasite communities.

Source: Journal of Biogeography

DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13060