Parasitism is known to affect the behavior of host species to enhance parasite dispersal and transmission.However,host behavioral responses to parasitism unrelated to parasite dispersal and transmission have been much...Parasitism is known to affect the behavior of host species to enhance parasite dispersal and transmission.However,host behavioral responses to parasitism unrelated to parasite dispersal and transmission have been much less studied.The objective of this study was to determine whether grasshopper hosts infected and uninfected with a parasitic fly(Blaesoxipha sp.)differ in terms of the nutrient content of the diet they consume.We investigated the dietary preferences of two grasshopper species(i.e.Asulconotus chinghaiensis and Chorthippus fallax)in terms of the C/N composition of plant species consumed,and determined whether this affected the egg production of unparasitized and parasitized grasshoppers by flies in a Tibetan alpine meadow.The composition of plants consumed differed significantly between the unparasitized and parasitized grasshoppers.Specifically,the abundance of N-rich legumes was lower and that of high C/N grasses was higher in the diet of the parasitized compared to the unparasitized grasshoppers.Diet N content was higher and C/N was lower in the diet of unparasitized grasshoppers,and parasitized females produced fewer eggs than their unparasitized conspecifics.Future enquiries are needed to understand the specific mechanisms underlying these dietary differences.The effects of parasites on the fitness–associated behavior of hosts should be studied more broadly to better understand parasite evolution and adaptation.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant numbers 32071605 and 31530007).
文摘Parasitism is known to affect the behavior of host species to enhance parasite dispersal and transmission.However,host behavioral responses to parasitism unrelated to parasite dispersal and transmission have been much less studied.The objective of this study was to determine whether grasshopper hosts infected and uninfected with a parasitic fly(Blaesoxipha sp.)differ in terms of the nutrient content of the diet they consume.We investigated the dietary preferences of two grasshopper species(i.e.Asulconotus chinghaiensis and Chorthippus fallax)in terms of the C/N composition of plant species consumed,and determined whether this affected the egg production of unparasitized and parasitized grasshoppers by flies in a Tibetan alpine meadow.The composition of plants consumed differed significantly between the unparasitized and parasitized grasshoppers.Specifically,the abundance of N-rich legumes was lower and that of high C/N grasses was higher in the diet of the parasitized compared to the unparasitized grasshoppers.Diet N content was higher and C/N was lower in the diet of unparasitized grasshoppers,and parasitized females produced fewer eggs than their unparasitized conspecifics.Future enquiries are needed to understand the specific mechanisms underlying these dietary differences.The effects of parasites on the fitness–associated behavior of hosts should be studied more broadly to better understand parasite evolution and adaptation.
