Parasite dynamics in an invaded ecosystem: helminth communities of native wood mice are impacted by the invasive bank vole

• Published in: Parasitology Vol. 144; no. 11; pp. 1476 - 1489
• Main Authors: LOXTON, KAREN C., LAWTON, COLIN, STAFFORD, PETER, HOLLAND, CELIA V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Aonchotheca murissylvatici; Apodemus sylvaticus; Arvicolinae; Arvicolinae - physiology; Biological effects; Biota; Clethrionomys glareolus; Communities; Community structure; Dilution; Dynamics; Ecology; Ecosystem; Ecosystem assessment; Ecosystems; Female; Helminthiasis, Animal - parasitology; Helminths - physiology; Host-Parasite Interactions; Introduced Species; Ireland - epidemiology; Laboratory animals; Male; Mice; Mitochondrial DNA; Murinae - parasitology; Myodes glareolus; Nature; Nonnative species; Parasites; Parasitology; Population; Rodent Diseases - epidemiology; Rodent Diseases - parasitology; Rodents; Stroma; Syphacia stroma; Taenia martis; Apodemus sylvaticus; invasive species; Myodes glareolus; helminth community dynamics
• ISSN: 0031-1820; 1469-8161
• DOI: 10.1017/S0031182017000981

It is becoming increasingly evident that biological invasions result in altered disease dynamics in invaded ecosystems, with knock-on effects for native host communities. We investigated disease dynamics in an invaded ecosystem, using the helminth communities of the native wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) in the presence and absence of the invasive bank vole (Myodes glareolus) in Ireland. Native wood mice were collected over 2 years from four sites to assess the impact of the presence of the bank vole on wood mouse helminth community dynamics both at the component and infracommunity level. We found evidence for dilution (Syphacia stroma), spill-back (Aonchotheca murissylvatici) and spill-over (Taenia martis) in native wood mice due to the presence of the bank vole. Site of capture was the most important factor affecting helminth community structure of wood mice, along with year of capture and host-age and the interactions between them.