Parasitic infections can impact thefitness of individuals and can have influence on animals’population dynamics.An individuals’parasite prevalence often changes depending on external or seasonal changes,for example,ra...Parasitic infections can impact thefitness of individuals and can have influence on animals’population dynamics.An individuals’parasite prevalence often changes depending on external or seasonal changes,for example,rainfall and ambient temperatures,but also on internal changes,for example,changes in body condition.In this study we aimed to identify the environmental factors that may influence the intestinal parasite and ectoparasite prevalence of the folivorous Malagasy primate species,Lepilemur edwardsi,living in a seasonal dry deciduous forest.Species living in this habitat have to adapt to seasonal changes of ambient temperature,with almost no precipitation during the dry season and hence strongfluctuations of resource availability throughout the year.We sampled the feces and ectoparasites of L.edwardsi throughout the year.Intestinal parasite prevalence increased from the wet to the dry season and was highest in the late dry season,which might be due to the accompanying decrease in diet quality.Conversely,ectoparasite prevalence decreased in the dry season,presumably due to the prevailing unfavorable environmental conditions for the development of ectoparasites(i.e.,mites and ticks).Paired with the higher resting metabolism and stress level of L.edwardsi during the late dry season,it seems that this species may struggle when dry seasons intensify in its habitat.展开更多
基金The research was approved by the Direction du Système des Aires Protégées,Ministère de l’Environnement and the Universitéd’Antananarivo(Autorisation de recherche no.305/17/MEEF/SG/DGF/DSAP/SCB.Re,no.106/18/MEEF/SG/DGF/DSAP/SCB.Re,and no.086/19/MEDD/SG/DGF/DSAP/SCB.Re).
文摘Parasitic infections can impact thefitness of individuals and can have influence on animals’population dynamics.An individuals’parasite prevalence often changes depending on external or seasonal changes,for example,rainfall and ambient temperatures,but also on internal changes,for example,changes in body condition.In this study we aimed to identify the environmental factors that may influence the intestinal parasite and ectoparasite prevalence of the folivorous Malagasy primate species,Lepilemur edwardsi,living in a seasonal dry deciduous forest.Species living in this habitat have to adapt to seasonal changes of ambient temperature,with almost no precipitation during the dry season and hence strongfluctuations of resource availability throughout the year.We sampled the feces and ectoparasites of L.edwardsi throughout the year.Intestinal parasite prevalence increased from the wet to the dry season and was highest in the late dry season,which might be due to the accompanying decrease in diet quality.Conversely,ectoparasite prevalence decreased in the dry season,presumably due to the prevailing unfavorable environmental conditions for the development of ectoparasites(i.e.,mites and ticks).Paired with the higher resting metabolism and stress level of L.edwardsi during the late dry season,it seems that this species may struggle when dry seasons intensify in its habitat.
