Fine-Scale Spatial Covariation between Infection Prevalence and Susceptibility in a Natural Population.

ABSTRACT: The prevalence of infection varies dramatically on a fine spatial scale. Many evolutionary hypotheses are founded on the assumption that this variation is due to host genetics, such that sites with a high frequency of alleles conferring susceptibility are associated with higher infection prevalence. This assumption is largely untested and may be compromised at finer spatial scales where gene flow between sites is high. We put this assumption to the test in a natural snail-trematode interaction in which host susceptibility is known to have a strong genetic basis. A decade of field sampling revealed substantial spatial variation in infection prevalence between 13 sites around a small lake. Laboratory assays replicated over 3 years demonstrate striking variation in host susceptibility among s

SUBMITTER: Gibson AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5189921 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature