Generalist parasites persist in degraded environments: a lesson learned from microsporidian diversity in amphipods.

ABSTRACT: The present study provides new insight into suitable microsporidian–host associations. It relates regional and continental-wide host specialization in microsporidians infecting amphipods to degraded and recovering habitats across 2 German river catchments. It provides a unique opportunity to infer the persistence of parasites following anthropogenic disturbance and their establishment in restored rivers. Amphipods were collected in 31 sampling sites with differing degradation and restoration gradients. Specimens were morphologically (hosts) and molecularly identified (host and parasites). Amphipod diversity and abundance, microsporidian diversity, host phylogenetic specificity and continental-wide β-specificity were investigated and related to each other and/or environmental variables. Fou

SUBMITTER: Prati S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10090640 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature