Spatial and temporal parasite dynamics: microhabitat preferences and infection progression of two co-infecting gyrodactylids.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mathematical modelling of host-parasite systems has seen tremendous developments and broad applications in theoretical and applied ecology. The current study focuses on the infection dynamics of a gyrodactylid-fish system. Previous experimental studies have explored the infrapopulation dynamics of co-infecting ectoparasites, Gyrodactylus turnbulli and G. bullatarudis, on their fish host, Poecilia reticulata, but questions remain about parasite microhabitat preferences, host survival and parasite virulence over time. Here, we use more advanced statistics and a sophisticated mathematical model to investigate these questions based on empirical data to add to our understanding of this gyrodactylid-fish system.

Methods

A rank-based multivariate Kruskal-Wallis test coup

SUBMITTER: Twumasi C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9508750 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature