Synergistic effects of predation and parasites on the overwinter survival of root voles
Synergistic effects of predation and parasites on the overwinter survival of root voles
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捕食和寄生虫对根田鼠越冬生存的协同作用
DOI：
10.1007/s00442-019-04455-4
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发表时间：
2019-07
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Jiang-hui Bian
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Guo-zhen Shang;Ya-hui Zhu;Yan Wu;Yi-fan Cao;Jiang-hui Bian
捕食者和寄生虫是影响小型哺乳动物种群数量波动的重要外在因素。它们可以对共同的猎物或宿主群体产生非累加效应，这可能对种群动态产生重要影响。然而，在小型哺乳动物种群中，结合捕食和寄生虫之间相互作用的实验研究很少。在这里，我们系统地研究了捕食者和球虫寄生虫相互作用的协同效应对根田鼠（Microtus oeconomus）越冬生存和可能的机制的协同效应。我们的目的是测试的一般假设，捕食者和球虫相互作用协同作用，以减少根田鼠的越冬生存，通过介导田鼠的生理特征和身体状况。我们进行了析因实验设计，通过该设计，我们操纵的捕食者排斥结合在外壳中的寄生虫去除，然后测量粪便皮质酮代谢物（FCM）水平，免疫活性，并通过重复活诱捕捕获动物的身体状况。我们发现了一个强大的负协同效应的捕食者和球虫的生存。更重要的是，我们发现捕食者通过捕食应激引起的免疫抑制增加了田鼠球虫感染的流行率和强度，而球虫感染的增加降低了田鼠的血浆蛋白和红细胞压积水平，这可能会削弱田鼠的抗捕食能力，导致捕食增加。我们的研究结果表明，当田鼠暴露于捕食风险和感染，它们的协同效应大大降低了越冬生存和种群密度。这可能是影响小型哺乳动物种群动态的一个重要机制。
Predators and parasites have been important extrinsic factors influencing the fluctuation of small mammal populations. They can have non-additive effects on a shared group of preys or hosts, which can have important consequences for population dynamics. However, experimental studies incorporating the interactions between predation and parasites are scarce in small mammal populations. Here we systematically examined the synergistic effects of predators and coccidian parasites interaction on overwinter survival and likely mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects in the root vole (Microtus oeconomus). Our aim was to test the general hypothesis that predators and coccidia interact synergistically to decrease overwinter survival of root voles through mediating vole’s physiological traits and body conditions. We carried out a factorial experimental design, by which we manipulated the predator exclusion in combination with the parasitic removal in enclosures, and then measured fecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) levels, immunocompetence, and body conditions in captured animals via repeated live trapping. We found a strong negative synergistic effect of predators and coccidia on survival. Importantly, we found that predators increased both the prevalence and intensity of coccidian infection in voles through immune suppression induced by predation stress, while increased coccidian infection reduced plasma protein and hematocrit level of voles, which may impair anti-predator ability of voles and lead to an increase in predation. Our finding showed when voles are exposed to both predation risk and infection, their synergistic effects greatly reduce overwinter survival and population density. This may be an important mechanism influencing population dynamics in small mammals.
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影响因子：
2.9
作者：
Hall, SR;Duffy, MA;Cáceres, CE
通讯作者：
Cáceres, CE
影响因子：
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作者：
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作者：
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作者：
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通讯作者：
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