Article
Host genetic identity determines parasite community structure across time and space in oyster restoration
Proceedings of The Royal Society B
(2023)
Abstract
Intraspecific variation in host susceptibility to individual parasite species is common, yet how these effects scale to mediate the structure of diverse parasite communities in nature is less well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we tested how host genetic identity affects parasite communities on restored reefs seeded with juvenile oysters from different sources—a regional commercial hatchery or one of two wild progenitor lines. We assessed prevalence and intensity of three micro- and two macroparasite species for 4 years following restoration. Despite the spatial proximity of restored reefs, oyster source identity strongly predicted parasite community prevalence across all years, with sources varying in their relative susceptibility to different parasites. Oyster seed source also predicted reef-level parasite intensities across space and through time. Our results highlight that host intraspecific variation can shape parasite community structure in natural systems, and reinforce the importance of considering source identity and diversity in restoration design.
PubMed:36987644
Keywords
- Habitat restoration,
- Oysters,
- Disease prevalence,
- Microparasites,
- Macroparasites
Disciplines
Publication Date
March 29, 2023
Publisher Statement
Electronic supplementary material is available online at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6461078.
Citation Information
Hanley Torrance C., Grabowski Jonathan H., Schneider Eric G., Barrett Patrick D., Puishys Lauren M., Spadafore Rachele, McManus Gwendolyn, Helt William S. K., Kinney Heather, Conor McManus M. and Randall Hughes A. 2023Host genetic identity determines parasite community structure across time and space in oyster restorationProc. R. Soc. B.2902022256020222560
http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.2560