Cross-continental experimental infections reveal distinct defence mechanisms in populations of the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus.

ABSTRACT: Epidemiological traits of host-parasite associations depend on the effects of the host, the parasite and their interaction. Parasites evolve mechanisms to infect and exploit their hosts, whereas hosts evolve mechanisms to prevent infection and limit detrimental effects. The reasons why and how these traits differ across populations still remain unclear. Using experimental cross-infection of three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus and their species-specific cestode parasites Schistocephalus solidus from Alaskan and European populations, we disentangled host, parasite and interaction effects on epidemiological traits at different geographical scales. We hypothesized that host and parasite main effects would dominate both within and across continents, although interactio

SUBMITTER: Piecyk A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8456148 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature