2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/23/2018 | 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM | ALONG FOR THE RIDE: STREAM FISH PARASITES ON THE RIVER CONTINUUM | 420 A
ALONG FOR THE RIDE: STREAM FISH PARASITES ON THE RIVER CONTINUUM
The River Continuum Concept (RCC) predicts that species richness increases from low- to mid-order streams. However, this prediction has never been tested using fish parasites. We collected 421 Redspot Darters (Etheostoma artesiae) from 15 reference streams (2nd to 6th order) in the Sipsey Fork – Black Warrior River system within the Bankhead National Forest, Alabama. We conducted necropsies, and identified and enumerated parasites. Twenty-eight species of parasites were recovered. Component community (stream) richness ranged from 5 to 15 species whereas mean infracommunity (fish) richness of streams ranged from 1.5 to 5.4 species. Using a generalized linear model, we found that component community richness was positively related to drainage area (z = 2.596, p =0.009). Using a linear model, we also found that mean infracommunity richness was positively related to drainage area (R2 = 0.616, p < 0.001). Our results support the RCC prediction that species richness of fish parasites increases with increasing stream size, perhaps because of longitudinal patterns of free-living host diversity and food web complexity, or increases in availability of specific intermediate hosts (e.g. snails). Such parasite infection gradients may have important consequences for host health and evolution.
- Community
- Disease Ecology
- Fish
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Presenters/Authors
Eric Bauer
(), Auburn University, efb0005@tigermail.auburn.edu;
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Brian Helms
(), Troy University, helmsb@troy.edu;
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Jack Feminella
(), Auburn University, feminjw@auburn.edu;
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