Cryptic disease-induced mortality may cause host extinction in an apparently stable host-parasite system.

ABSTRACT: The decline of wildlife populations due to emerging infectious disease often shows a common pattern: the parasite invades a naive host population, producing epidemic disease and a population decline, sometimes with extirpation. Some susceptible host populations can survive the epidemic phase and persist with endemic parasitic infection. Understanding host-parasite dynamics leading to persistence of the system is imperative to adequately inform conservation practice. Here we combine field data, statistical and mathematical modelling to explore the dynamics of the apparently stable Rhinoderma darwinii-Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) system. Our results indicate that Bd-induced population extirpation may occur even in the absence of epidemics and where parasite prevalence is relatively lo

SUBMITTER: Valenzuela-Sanchez A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5627199 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature