Food quality effetcs on parasite-host interactions

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The availability of essential resources may significantly affect parasite–host interactions. A low availability of essential dietary resources may impair the fitness of the host thereby increasing its susceptibility to pathogenic infections (reduced immune defences). Alternatively, a low dietary provisioning with essential resources may impair the fitness of host and parasite, because resource–limited hosts may provide less resources for the parasite (competition). The objective of this project is to assess how the availability of essential lipids (polyunsaturated fatty acids, sterols) affects interactions between the host Daphnia magna and its bacterial and microsporidian parasites. For this purpose, life history experiments will be conducted with infected and uninfected D. magna feeding on lipid deficient algae supplemented with single fatty acids or sterols. Effects of food quality on host performance will be assessed by comparing fitness parameters of infected and uninfected hosts; effects of food quality on parasite performance will be assessed by determining the efficiency and intensity of infection. Results obtained in this project will contribute to our understanding of the timing of epidemics, associated consequences for population dynamics, and the evolution of parasite–host systems.