Host life-history traits predict haemosporidian parasite prevalence in tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae).
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in
birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding
why vulnerability to infection varies within a host clade is a crucial task for conservation
biology and for understanding macroecological life-history patterns. Here, we studied the
relationship of avian life-history traits and climate on the prevalence of Plasmodium and
Parahaemoproteus parasites. We sampled 3569 individual birds belonging to 53 species of
the family Thraupidae. Individuals were captured from 2007 to 2018 at 92 locations. We created 2 phylogenetic generalized least-squares models with Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus
prevalence as our response variables, and with the following predictor variables: climate PC1,
climate PC2, body size, mixed-species flock participation, incubation period, migration, nest
height, foraging height, forest cover, and diet. We found that Parahaemoproteus and
Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species inhabiting open habitats. Tanager species
with longer incubation periods had higher Parahaemoproteus prevalence as well, and we
hypothesize that these longer incubation periods overlap with maximum vector abundances,
resulting in a higher probability of infection among adult hosts during their incubation period
and among chicks. Lastly, we found that Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species without
migratory behaviour, with mixed-species flock participation, and with an omnivorous or
animal-derived diet. We discuss the consequences of higher infection prevalence in relation
to life-history traits in tanagers.
Description
Keywords
Diet, Habitat type, Incubation period, Parahaemoproteus, Plasmodium
Citation
PENHA, V. A. de S. et al. Host life-history traits predict haemosporidian parasite prevalence in tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae). Parasitology, v. 10, p. 32-41, out. 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/parasitology/article/host-lifehistory-traits-predict-haemosporidian-parasite-prevalence-in-tanagers-aves-thraupidae/2FAD45A5CBD59E374106BA0A52DFC0BB>. Acesso em: 15 mar. 2023.