Nematomorph parasites indirectly alter the food web and ecosystem function of streams through behavioural manipulation of their cricket hosts.
Ecology Letters
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Abstract
Nematomorph parasites manipulate crickets to enter streams where the parasites reproduce. These manipulated crickets become a substantial food subsidy for stream fishes. We used a field experiment to investigate how this subsidy affects the stream community and ecosystem function. When crickets were available, predatory fish ate fewer benthic invertebrates. The resulting release of the benthic invertebrate community from fish predation indirectly decreased the biomass of benthic algae and slightly increased leaf break-down rate. This is the first experimental demonstration that host manipulation by a parasite can reorganise a community and alter ecosystem function. Nematomorphs are common, and many other parasites have dramatic effects on host phenotypes, suggesting that similar effects of parasites on ecosystems might be widespread.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Nematomorph parasites indirectly alter the food web and ecosystem function of streams through behavioural manipulation of their cricket hosts. |
| Series title | Ecology Letters |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01798.x |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Year Published | 2012 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Blackwell Science |
| Publisher location | Oxford |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Ecology Letters |
| First page | 786 |
| Last page | 793 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |