Factors governing the prevalence and richness of avian haemosporidian communities within and between temperate mountains.

ABSTRACT: Mountains are well-suited systems to disentangle the factors driving distribution of parasites due to their heterogeneity of climatic and habitat conditions. However, the information about the relative importance of environmental factors governing the distribution of avian haemosporidians on temperate mountains is very limited. The main goal of the present study is to identify the factors determining prevalence and richness in avian haemosporidians (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) at the community level along elevational gradients on two mountain ranges located around the northern and southern limits of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). We used samples from 68 avian species and 1,460 breeding individuals caught over widespread woodland and open habitats. Our findings confirmed the

SUBMITTER: Illera JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5589241 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature