Disease dynamics in a specialized parasite of ant societies
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Standard
Disease dynamics in a specialized parasite of ant societies. / Andersen, Sandra Breum; Ferrari, Matthew; Evans, Harry C.; Elliot, Simon L.; Boomsma, Jacobus Jan; Hughes, David P.
In: PLOS ONE, Vol. 7, No. 5, 2012.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Author
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Disease dynamics in a specialized parasite of ant societies
AU - Andersen, Sandra Breum
AU - Ferrari, Matthew
AU - Evans, Harry C.
AU - Elliot, Simon L.
AU - Boomsma, Jacobus Jan
AU - Hughes, David P.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Coevolution between ant colonies and their rare specialized parasites are intriguing, because lethal infections of workers may correspond to tolerable chronic diseases of colonies, but the parasite adaptations that allow stable coexistence with ants are virtually unknown. We explore the trade-offs experienced by Ophiocordyceps parasites manipulating ants into dying in nearby graveyards. We used field data from Brazil and Thailand to parameterize and fit a model for the growth rate of graveyards. We show that parasite pressure is much lower than the abundance of ant cadavers suggests and that hyperparasites often castrate Ophiocordyceps. However, once fruiting bodies become sexually mature they appear robust. Such parasite life-history traits are consistent with iteroparity– a reproductive strategy rarely considered in fungi. We discuss how tropical habitats with high biodiversity of hyperparasites and high spore mortality has likely been crucial for the evolution and maintenance of iteroparity in parasites with low dispersal potential.
AB - Coevolution between ant colonies and their rare specialized parasites are intriguing, because lethal infections of workers may correspond to tolerable chronic diseases of colonies, but the parasite adaptations that allow stable coexistence with ants are virtually unknown. We explore the trade-offs experienced by Ophiocordyceps parasites manipulating ants into dying in nearby graveyards. We used field data from Brazil and Thailand to parameterize and fit a model for the growth rate of graveyards. We show that parasite pressure is much lower than the abundance of ant cadavers suggests and that hyperparasites often castrate Ophiocordyceps. However, once fruiting bodies become sexually mature they appear robust. Such parasite life-history traits are consistent with iteroparity– a reproductive strategy rarely considered in fungi. We discuss how tropical habitats with high biodiversity of hyperparasites and high spore mortality has likely been crucial for the evolution and maintenance of iteroparity in parasites with low dispersal potential.
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0036352
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0036352
M3 - Journal article
VL - 7
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 5
ER -
ID: 48981918