Effects of Wildfire on Interactions Among Nematode Parasites, Mayfly Hosts and Trout Predators

IF 2.8 2区生物学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Freshwater Biology Pub Date : 2025-02-22 DOI:10.1111/fwb.70015

Emma C. Svatos, Fernando R. Carvallo, Mia K. ter Kuile-Miller, Julia L. Gray, Jordan L. Trujillo, Sara B. Weinstein, Matthew P. Fairchild, Yoichiro Kanno, Daniel L. Preston

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Wildfire activity is increasing globally, highlighting the need to understand how fire disturbance affects species interactions. In particular, few studies have examined how fire influences interactions among parasites, hosts and predators in freshwater streams.
We characterised host–parasite and parasite–predator interactions involving nematode parasites (Family Mermithidae), mayfly hosts (Order Ephemeroptera) and trout predators (Salvelinus fontinalis, Salmo trutta and Oncorhynchus clarkii) at 8 burned and 8 unburned stream sites in the southern Rocky Mountains for 2 years following severe wildfires.
Mayfly density, infection probability, and density of infected mayflies (infected mayflies/m²) were all lower at burned sites 1 year after fire but returned to levels similar to unburned sites after 2 years. Density of infected mayflies increased with overall mayfly density; however, infection prevalence (%) ranged from 0% to 26% across burned and unburned streams, and there was no relationship between mayfly density and infection prevalence.
Based on dissections of > 20,000 mayflies, intermediate-size (4–6 mm) mayflies in the family Baetidae had the highest infection probability and were also the most common mayfly family and size class found in trout stomachs. Wildfire did not affect the number of mermithids consumed per trout, and infection prevalences of mayflies consumed by trout were significantly lower than in the benthos, suggesting predator-avoidance behaviour by infected mayflies.
Overall, our results suggest that mermithid nematode responses to fire reflected changes in host density, consistent with the single-host life cycle of mermithids. These results help integrate host–parasite–predator interactions into our understanding of disturbance ecology in freshwater streams, with implications for parasite roles in energy flow through food webs.

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来源期刊

Freshwater Biology 生物-海洋与淡水生物学

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

3.70%

发文量

162

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： Freshwater Biology publishes papers on all aspects of the ecology of inland waters, including rivers and lakes, ground waters, flood plains and other freshwater wetlands. We include studies of micro-organisms, algae, macrophytes, invertebrates, fish and other vertebrates, as well as those concerning whole systems and related physical and chemical aspects of the environment, provided that they have clear biological relevance. Studies may focus at any level in the ecological hierarchy from physiological ecology and animal behaviour, through population dynamics and evolutionary genetics, to community interactions, biogeography and ecosystem functioning. They may also be at any scale: from microhabitat to landscape, and continental to global. Preference is given to research, whether meta-analytical, experimental, theoretical or descriptive, highlighting causal (ecological) mechanisms from which clearly stated hypotheses are derived. Manuscripts with an experimental or conceptual flavour are particularly welcome, as are those or which integrate laboratory and field work, and studies from less well researched areas of the world. Priority is given to submissions that are likely to interest a wide range of readers. We encourage submission of papers well grounded in ecological theory that deal with issues related to the conservation and management of inland waters. Papers interpreting fundamental research in a way that makes clear its applied, strategic or socio-economic relevance are also welcome. Review articles (FRESHWATER BIOLOGY REVIEWS) and discussion papers (OPINION) are also invited: these enable authors to publish high-quality material outside the constraints of standard research papers.