Hassall, C, Lowe, CD, Harvey, IF et al. (2 more authors) (2010) Phenology determines seasonal variation in ectoparasite loads in a natural insect population. Ecological Entomology, 35 (4). 514 - 522 . ISSN 0307-6946
Abstract
1. The extent to which individuals are parasitised is a function of exposure to parasites and the immune response, which in ectotherms may be associated with temperature. 2. We test the hypothesis that seasonal variation in ectoparasite burden is driven by temperature using an extensive mark-release-recapture study of adult Coenagrion puella (L.) (Zygoptera) as a model system. Mite counts were taken both at capture and on a subset of subsequent recaptures over two entire, consecutive breeding seasons. 3. Emergence date was the most significant factor in determining individual differences in mite burden, and mean counts for individuals emerging on the same days showed strong unimodal relationships with time of season. Subsequent recounting of mites on a subset of individuals showed that patterns of loss of mites were similar between seasons. 4. While temperature did not significantly affect mite burdens within seasons and ectoparasite prevalence was very similar across the two seasons, intensity of infection and rate of mite gain in unparasitised individuals were significantly higher in the cooler season. 5. We demonstrate that, while temperature may modulate the invertebrate immune response, this modulation does not manifest in variations in mite burdens in natural populations.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2010, Wiley Blackwell. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Ecological Entomology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com |
Keywords: | Arrenurus, Coenagrion puella, Odonata, damselfly, immunology, invertebrates, mites, phenology temperature |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2013 11:15 |
Last Modified: | 27 Oct 2016 16:37 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.2010.01210.x |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
Refereed: | No |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/j.1365-2311.2010.01210.x |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:74908 |