2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/21/2019 | 11:45 AM - 12:00 PM | PARASITES EXPERIENCING PREDATION RISK ACCELERATE CONSUMPTION OF THEIR HOST | 250 DE
PARASITES EXPERIENCING PREDATION RISK ACCELERATE CONSUMPTION OF THEIR HOST
Endoparasites consume energy first acquired by their hosts, and could be influenced by foraging changes of hosts responding to predation risk. We examined relationships between host foraging and parasite growth in the context of predation risk, using grazing mayflies (Baetis bicaudatus) infected by an endoparasitic nematode for which predation on the host is lethal. We used two microcosm experiments to test whether the threat of trout predation provided by chemical cues affected: 1) host foraging behavior (grazing on substrate surfaces and seeking food by drifting), 2) algae consumption by parasitized mayflies, and 3) subsequent resource sequestration and growth of parasites. Parasitized mayflies tended to increase foraging activity, albeit at safer (night) times. However, activity increases did not increase host food consumption or parasite growth. Instead, a net loss of host tissue occurred in parasitized mayflies exposed to trout cues, suggesting that risk of predation caused the parasite to sequester more available resources, thereby decreasing its host’s condition. Although predation risk did not exact a cost on parasite growth, predator-induced depletion of its host’s energy reserves could be costly to the parasite.
- Invertebrate
- Predator-prey
- Fish
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Presenters/Authors
Kara Cromwell
(), University of Wisconsin-Madison, kara.cromwell@gmail.com;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Barbara Peckarsky
(), University of Wisconsin, Madison, peckarsky@wisc.edu;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -