A1 Journal article (refereed)
Parasite‐mediated changes in host traits alter food web dynamics (2024)

Klemme, I., Perälä, T., Lehtinen, S. O., & Kuparinen, A. (2024). Parasite‐mediated changes in host traits alter food web dynamics. Oikos, 2024(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.10374

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Klemme, Ines; Perälä, Tommi; Lehtinen, Sami O.; Kuparinen, Anna

Journal or series: Oikos

ISSN: 0030-1299

eISSN: 1600-0706

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 24/01/2024

Volume: 2024

Issue number: 4

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.10374

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/93212

Abstract

Parasites commonly alter the phenotype of their hosts, thereby influencing competitive and consumer–resource interactions. This could trigger a cascade effect on the dynamics of biological communities, but the role of parasites in ecosystem processes is poorly understood. In this study, we investigate how parasite-induced trait modifications shape the dynamics of a complex lake food web using an allometric trophic network model (ATN). We simulated infections of stage-structured fish host populations via increased maintenance costs and predation risk. Our results show that host trait modifications can significantly impact host demography, with stage-specific biomass declines up to 60%. However, less severely affected host stages buffered these effects and sustained the population. Importantly, host biomass decline altered the dynamics of species interactions and these effects cascaded through the entire community, with biomass changes observed at all trophic levels. Our findings emphasize the importance of incorporating both indirect parasite effects and host life history in ecological network studies for more realistic simulations of community dynamics.

Keywords: parasitism; food webs; parasites; interaction

Free keywords: allometric trophic network (ATN); food web; indirect effect; parasitism; population stage structure; trait-mediated indirect interaction

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2024

Preliminary JUFO rating: 2