Ecology and Evolution最新文献

{"title":"Canopy Height and Epiphytic Bryophytes Shape Fungal Communities in a Temperate Rainforest","authors":"Laurel Renee Humphreys,&nbsp;Jane M. Lucas,&nbsp;Michelle Elise Spicer","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72241","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fungal communities contribute to plant ecology and evolution in forested ecosystems. Their diverse interactions with associated host plants can vary along abiotic and biotic gradients, but these gradients are poorly understood in complex natural ecosystems. Given the high diversity of epiphytic plants in many ecosystems, forest canopies offer a unique and underexplored system for studying plant-associated microbial diversity and distribution. We explored both abiotic and biotic factors structuring arboreal fungal communities. Specifically, we hypothesized that bryophyte-associated fungal communities are structured by the vertical height gradient within host trees (from the ground to high in the canopy), vary across host plant species, and that living bryophytes host distinct fungal communities compared to dead bryophyte matter. To test these hypotheses, we sampled living and dead bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) across three different bryophyte host species and four heights, ranging from the forest floor to 18 m above the ground. We characterized the fungal community composition in each sample using metabarcoding. Fungal communities showed significant variation across substrates: bryophytes collected from the ground exhibited 17% greater Shannon diversity and 34% higher taxonomic richness than epiphytic bryophytes, while living bryophytes had 15% higher diversity and 30% greater richness than dead tissues. This pattern suggests that the diverse microhabitats within living bryophytes may drive microbial diversity. Community analysis identified a core fungal community across living bryophyte samples, but rare taxa accounted for a majority of reads, driving differences in community composition between different heights and bryophyte species. Synthesis: Epiphytic bryophyte-associated fungal communities show high heterogeneity across different substrates and heights, which provides insight into the structuring of the forest microbiome and epiphyte ecology. These results demonstrate the importance of exploring canopy-associated microbes to better understand microbial diversity and function in forest ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.72241","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145223998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of NPP in Guizhou Province, China","authors":"Bo Xie,&nbsp;Yi Liu,&nbsp;Han Fan,&nbsp;Mingming Zhang","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72231","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Karst ecosystems are ecologically fragile and highly sensitive to climate change. This study explored the spatiotemporal changes and driving mechanisms of net primary productivity (NPP) in Guizhou Province, a typical karst region in Southwest China, from 2000 to 2020. By integrating multisource geospatial datasets, we employed comprehensive spatiotemporal analytical methods including Sen + Mann-Kendall trend analysis, Hurst index, and coefficient of variation, complemented by correlation analysis and the geographic detector modeling. Key findings reveal: (1) A significant upward trend in NPP with an interannual variation of 3.65 g C m⁻² a⁻¹ and a multiyear average of 785.47 g C m⁻² a⁻¹; (2) Distinct spatial heterogeneity showing southern high-value zones contrasting with lower values in northern, eastern, and western regions, with 45.76% of areas demonstrating significant positive NPP trends; the overall volatility is stable; (3) Driving mechanism analysis identifies precipitation, soil moisture, and population density as dominant factors, with anthropogenic influences exhibiting increasing temporal dominance.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.72231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145224003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Habitat Response Variability: Modeling Predictions Display the Expansion–Contraction Scenario of Two Chinese Endangered Cheirotonus Beetles Under Climate Change","authors":"Hao Yu,&nbsp;Ya-gang Shen,&nbsp;Jafir Muhammad,&nbsp;Muzamil Abbas,&nbsp;Yang Cheng,&nbsp;Xia Wan","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72156","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Predicting the potential adaptation zones of <i>Cheirotonus gestroi</i> Pouillaude and <i>Cheirotonus jansoni</i> Jordan under the influence of climate change is essential for understanding their geographical distribution and informing effective species conservation strategies. Species distribution models (SDMs), particularly the MaxEnt model, enable researchers to estimate habitat suitability based on current and future environmental conditions. In this study, we employed the optimized MaxEnt model in combination with ArcGIS software to predict suitable habitats under both present and future climate scenarios (2050s and 2070s), and to identify key environmental variables influencing their geographical distribution. For <i>C. jansoni</i>, the influential factors were temperature seasonality (bio4; 31.8%), Elevation (Elev; 28.8%), and precipitation of the driest month (bio14; 24.2%). Currently, its suitable habitats are mainly located in the southeastern part of China, including Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Anhui, Hainan, and Taiwan. Habitat suitability for this species is projected to expand under most climate change scenarios. Conversely, the distribution of <i>C. gestroi</i> is primarily shaped by Isothermality (bio3; 68.4%), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI; 19.5%) and Temperature annual range (bio7; 11.7%). This species' suitable habitats are currently concentrated in Yunnan province in southwestern China, with a predicted contraction in habitat range under future climate conditions. The MaxEnt model predictions reveal clear differences in the ecological niches and habitat preferences of these two beetle species, indicating that <i>C. jansoni</i> exhibits greater environmental adaptability compared to <i>C. gestroi</i>. These findings offer valuable insights for developing targeted monitoring and conservation strategies for these endangered beetles in the face of ongoing climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.72156","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145223996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low pH Does Not Impact Reproductive Success but Leads to Negative Carry-Over Effects Between Parents and Larvae in a Mediterranean Gastropod","authors":"Sanja Grđan,&nbsp;Sam Dupont,&nbsp;Luka Glamuzina,&nbsp;Ana Bratoš Cetinić","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72254","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding how marine organisms respond to ocean acidification across all life stages is essential for assessing the future resilience of ecosystems. We investigated the effects of long-term exposure to low pH conditions (pH_T ranging from 7.95 to 7.22) on the reproductive traits and intracapsular development of <i>Hexaplex trunculus</i>, a predatory Mediterranean gastropod. Spawning success, fecundity, and capsule morphology were not affected by pH. However, larval development was significantly impaired at pH_T lower than 7.51, with observed delayed development and fewer larvae developing successfully to the hatchling stage. Cross-transplantation of spawns between pHs indicated a negative carryover effect of parental exposure to low pH on larval development, although this was partially reversible when spawns were transferred back to the ambient pH. Notably, we observed inter-individual variability in larval growth, suggesting that phenotypic plasticity or genotype-specific tolerance may play a role in moderating sensitivity to future ocean acidification. Our study highlights the importance of considering parental exposure, natural pH variability, and within-population variation when assessing species responses to global drivers.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.72254","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145223768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does Participatory Bird Monitoring Provide Accurate Data for Ecological Research? An Experience in Rural Southwestern Mexico","authors":"Alexis Mendoza-Lozana,&nbsp;Rubén Ortega-Álvarez,&nbsp;Adolfo G. Navarro-Sigüenza,&nbsp;Víctor H. Jiménez-Arcos,&nbsp;Leopoldo D. Vázquez-Reyes","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72237","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ece3.72237","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rise of participatory ornithology projects in the Global North has spurred studies aimed at optimizing the quality of data generated by these initiatives to support conservation efforts. However, in Latin America—where these projects are typically developed in collaboration with rural and indigenous communities—evaluations addressing this issue remain scarce. This study analyzes a community-based bird monitoring project in southwestern Mexico and highlights key aspects for improving data quality. First, five members of a rural community were trained in bird identification and counting. Subsequently, using data generated by professional ornithologists as a reference, the accuracy and bias in the monitoring data were examined to assess bird species richness and community structure across forest and human-altered habitats. In addition, hierarchical clustering analyses were employed to identify biological traits of species that affect data quality. The community monitoring data demonstrated sufficient quality to detect changes in bird communities resulting from anthropogenic impacts, though there were identifiable biases associated with forest habitat species, migratory species, and species belonging to the families Trochilidae and Tyrannidae. The results suggest that scientific endeavors in community projects should focus on developing adaptive training strategies to enhance monitors' skills in identifying birds and recording their abundance. The evaluation framework proposed in this study offers a valuable collaborative perspective for improving data quality in community monitoring initiatives across Latin America.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12488215/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating Climate Change Effects on Swan Habitats Within China: Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Conservation","authors":"Ke Zhang,&nbsp;Jun Lin,&nbsp;Jianghua Zheng,&nbsp;Xuan Li,&nbsp;Li Xu,&nbsp;Liang Liu,&nbsp;Xuan Liu,&nbsp;Xi Jin,&nbsp;Rong Fu,&nbsp;Xinwei Wang,&nbsp;Yunzhi Sang,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Guo","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72238","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ece3.72238","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Under the combined pressures of global climate change and human activities, swan habitats in China are facing severe threats, posing direct challenges to the effectiveness of existing protected areas. However, the dynamic changes in the distribution of swan habitats and conservation coverage under climate change remain insufficiently explored. In this study, we focused on three widely distributed swan species in China—<i>Cygnus cygnus</i> (Whooper Swan), <i>Cygnus columbianus</i> (Bewick's Swan), and <i>Cygnus olor</i> (Mute Swan). Using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, we projected the spatial distribution patterns of their habitats and the trends in conservation rates under recent period (2001–2020) and future periods (2021–2040 and 2041–2060) across three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1–2.6, SSP2–4.5, and SSP5–8.5). The results indicated that the MaxEnt model performed well, with mean values of training and testing area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.966 and 0.956, respectively, and a mean true skill statistic (TSS) of 0.833 across all periods. Slope, NDVI, proximity to water, and isothermality (Bio3) were identified as the key environmental variables jointly influencing the distribution of the three swan species. During the recent period, the total suitable habitat areas of the three swan species were 44.89 × 10⁴, 54.18 × 10⁴, and 48.33 × 10⁴ km², respectively. Under future scenarios, overall habitat ranges remained relatively stable, but the suitability structure shifted, with low suitability habitats showing greater fluctuations. In terms of conservation coverage, the overall conservation rate of suitable habitats for all three species remained below 11%. Coverage of highly suitable habitats was higher than that of moderately and low suitable habitats, but protection gaps persisted, especially for Whooper Swan and Bewick's Swan. These findings highlight significant mismatches between swan habitats and reserve networks and provide a scientific basis for optimizing conservation planning and adaptive management under climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12486193/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of Invertebrate-Derived DNA Barcoding (iDNA) in Blood Sucking Leeches From West Sumatra: A Discovery of Blue-Eyed Litter Frog Leptobrachium waysapuntiense","authors":"Ardika Dani Irawan,&nbsp;Katsuyuki Eguchi","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72235","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ece3.72235","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Indonesia is one of the world's most biodiversity-rich countries, including a wide variety of vertebrate and plant species. However, assessing biodiversity in tropical rainforests remains challenging itself. The use of conventional tools has commonly been employed for monitoring and research purposes. Invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA), a subdiscipline of environmental DNA (eDNA), has emerged as a noninvasive tool that complements traditional methods for biodiversity assessment. It enables the detection of vertebrate species and the monitoring of their populations through molecular approaches. Utilizing abundant haematophagous leeches provides a promising approach to sample a broader range of host species within an area, as these leeches retain high-quality host DNA in their guts for extended periods. Using Sanger sequencing with five primer sets (16Scp, 16Sed, 12S, ND2, and RepCOI) designed to target broad taxonomic groups, 272 <i>Haemadipsa</i> spp. samples were successfully amplified, resulting in the identification of 17 unique vertebrate hosts, including mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Within our 16Sed results, we noted that the primer sets could capture a broader range of taxa than originally targeted, encompassing both mammals and reptiles, thereby enhancing species richness detection. Notably, we present evidence of the first iDNA-based detection of the rare blue-eyed litter frog, <i>Leptobrachium waysepuntiense</i>, from western Sumatra. Therefore, this study suggests that the use of haematophagous leeches represents a promising approach for biodiversity monitoring in Indonesia. This method offers a complementary strategy that can be integrated with existing practices to strengthen conservation efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12486191/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life-History Responses of the Fall Webworm Hyphantria cunea to Temperature Change: Not Following the Temperature–Size Rule","authors":"Hua Lu,&nbsp;Li-Li Huang,&nbsp;Liang Chen,&nbsp;Sheng-Bin Wu,&nbsp;Fang-Sen Xue,&nbsp;Xing-Ping Liu,&nbsp;Hai-Min He","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72225","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ece3.72225","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Temperature serves as a critical environmental factor for ectotherms and significantly impacts numerous life history traits. This study examined the influence of temperature on life-history traits of the fall webworm <i>Hyphantria cunea</i> at 20°C, 22°C, 24°C, 26°C, and 28°C. There were no significant differences in larval survival rates across the temperatures tested. However, pupal survival at 28°C was significantly lower compared to other temperatures. Sex ratios remained consistent at 20°C–26°C but skewed toward males at 28°C. The developmental time from egg to adult decreased as the temperature rose, with males emerging earlier than females (protandry), primarily due to shorter larval stages. Pupal weight exhibited temperature- and sex-dependent trends: female pupae peaked at 22°C (184.6 mg) and there was a 9.2% increase at 28°C as compared with 20°C, demonstrating a reverse temperature-size rule. In contrast, male pupal weight decreased by 8.2% at 28°C, indicating greater thermal sensitivity. Growth rates increased with temperature, showing sex-specific variations at lower temperatures. Adult weight mirrored pupal trends, with females consistently larger than males. Metamorphic weight loss increased with temperature in both sexes, but males experienced more pronounced losses. Female-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is inclined to increase along with weight gain and temperature, not conforming to the Rensch's rule. Furthermore, positive relationships were discovered between pupal weight and larval development time, and between adult weight and fecundity. These findings emphasize temperature-driven plasticity in development, SSD, and thermal tolerance, highlighting the species' adaptability to warming climates and its implications for pest management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12488214/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal Overlap of Mallards With Poultry Farms Is Associated With Greater Risk of Avian Influenza Wild Bird Spillover Events","authors":"Joshua A. Cullen,&nbsp;Nicholas M. Masto,&nbsp;Jeffery D. Sullivan,&nbsp;Cory J. Highway,&nbsp;Kelly A. Patyk,&nbsp;Mary-Jane McCool,&nbsp;Mia Kim Torchetti,&nbsp;Kristina Lantz,&nbsp;Rebecca L. Poulson,&nbsp;Deborah L. Carter,&nbsp;Jamie C. Feddersen,&nbsp;Bradley S. Cohen,&nbsp;Diann J. Prosser","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72221","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ece3.72221","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Animal movement influences local transmission and geographic spread of pathogens. Waterfowl are known reservoirs of pathogens, including H5 goose/Guangdong lineage (H5 GsGd) highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This HPAI virus lineage causes high rates of morbidity and mortality in domestic poultry and many wild bird species. Mallards (<i>Anas platyrhynchos</i>) are a generalist waterfowl species whose habitat largely overlaps with many other waterfowl and are considered effective spillover vectors of HPAI. To investigate the potential contribution of waterfowl to HPAI spillover, we used mallards as a proxy and measured the spatiotemporal overlap of 183 GPS-tagged mallards during 2021–2022 with respect to confirmed wild bird spillover events in United States (U.S.) poultry farms. Additionally, we estimated the probability of HPAI spillover events as a function of mallard overlap and poultry farm type. We found infrequent overlap instances between mallards and poultry farms; however, several of these overlap instances lasted &gt; 5 days and up to 19 days. Population-level overlap with poultry farms was greatest during pre-breeding migration, followed by the breeding season. The probability of HPAI spillover was predicted to be greatest for commercial turkey farms, followed by backyard poultry farms. Importantly, farms overlapped by mallards were more than twice as likely to experience a spillover (i.e., increased risk probability), even in the absence of known mallard infection status at the time of overlap. These findings suggest that mallards (and/or other waterfowl) may be important contributors to HPAI spillover into poultry farms and that additional biosecurity measures may be needed. Because few instances of overlap occurred between mallards and farms with reported spillover events, tagged mallards are likely a proxy for other untagged waterfowl. Further studies of wild waterfowl interactions with poultry farms could improve understanding of how landscape characteristics influence spatial overlap, potentially informing which premises may require enhanced biosecurity measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12486340/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145211753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal Variation in Early-Life Conditions Impacts on Later-Life Levels of Infection in Sex Specific Ways","authors":"Hannah M. Ravenswater,&nbsp;Sarah J. Burthe,&nbsp;Thomas E. Reed,&nbsp;Mark A. Newell,&nbsp;Francis Daunt,&nbsp;Alice Carravieri,&nbsp;Ruth E. Dunn,&nbsp;Hanna H. V. Granroth-Wilding,&nbsp;Carrie Gunn,&nbsp;Olivia Hicks,&nbsp;Emma J. A. Cunningham","doi":"10.1002/ece3.72132","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ece3.72132","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Parasites are a fundamental component of wild animal populations, often inducing sub-lethal chronic effects that impact host fitness and demography. However, the factors determining variation in infection burden are often poorly understood in wild systems. Environmental conditions can determine exposure to infection and the resources required to respond, but exhibit strong temporal variation. As environmental conditions are predicted to become more variable, it is crucial to understand how these conditions shape burden to predict the downstream effects on host populations. Early-life conditions can shape responses to infection, potentially leading to delayed effects of environmental variation on fitness. The extent to which these are mediated by resources and later-life conditions remains unclear and may vary between the sexes, who often differ in exposure risk and resource requirements. Here, we examine how differences in hatching and breeding conditions influence parasite burden throughout life. We utilise data from a long-term population study of European shags (<i>Gulosus aristotelis</i>) on the Isle of May, Scotland, in which there is substantial variation in the timing of breeding within and between years, and nematode parasite burden can be measured in vivo using endoscopy. We show that adult parasite burden is influenced by seasonal and annual differences in current and early life conditions, but different patterns were observed in adult males and females. Burdens increased across the season in chicks and adult females but not in adult males. Instead, early life effects better explained burden in adult males, with those hatching later and in productive years displaying lower burdens. This suggests that early life may shape behaviour, immunity, or physiological development, impacting subsequent infection. Our findings reveal complex temporal effects on parasitism in species breeding in fluctuating environments. Incorporating seasonal and sex-specific responses to parasitism is crucial to understanding how predicted environmental shifts could impact disease dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":11467,"journal":{"name":"Ecology and Evolution","volume":"15 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12486190/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145211738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}