Environmental conditions influence host-parasite interactions and host fitness in a migratory passerine.

ABSTRACT: The study of host-parasite co-evolution is a central topic in evolutionary ecology. However, research is still fragmented and the extent to which parasites influence host life history is debated. One reason for this incomplete picture is the frequent omission of environmental conditions in studies analyzing host-parasite dynamics, which may influence the exposure to or effects of parasitism. To contribute to elucidating the largely unresolved question of how environmental conditions are related to the prevalence and intensity of infestation and their impact on hosts, we took advantage of 25 years of monitoring of a breeding population of pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, in a Mediterranean area of central Spain. We investigated the influence of temperature and precipitation during the

SUBMITTER: Gonzalez-Bernardo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11897943 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature