Benefits of host genetic diversity for resistance to infection depend on parasite diversity.

ABSTRACT: Host populations with high genetic diversity are predicted to have lower levels of infection prevalence. This theory assumes that host genetic diversity results in variation in susceptibility and that parasites exhibit variation in infectivity. Empirical studies on the effects of host heterogeneity typically neglect the role of parasite diversity. We conducted three laboratory experiments designed to test if genetic variation in Daphnia magna populations and genetic variation in its parasites together influence the course of parasite spread after introduction. We found that a natural D. magna population exhibited variation in susceptibility to infection by three parasite species and had strong host clone-parasite species interactions. There was no effect of host heterogeneity in experiment

SUBMITTER: Ganz HH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3030917 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature