Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape
Despite the large number of studies on rodent ectoparasites—most of them vectors of epidemiologically important pathogens—infestation patterns remain poorly understood in various ecological contexts, such as the highly patchy agricultural landscapes. We aimed to relate the infestation of rodents to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/304 |
| _version_ | 1797344784228024320 |
|---|---|
| author | Ana Maria Benedek Ioana Boeraș Anamaria Lazăr Alexandra Sandu Maria Denisa Cocîrlea Maria Stănciugelu Niculina Viorica Cic Carmen Postolache |
| author_facet | Ana Maria Benedek Ioana Boeraș Anamaria Lazăr Alexandra Sandu Maria Denisa Cocîrlea Maria Stănciugelu Niculina Viorica Cic Carmen Postolache |
| author_sort | Ana Maria Benedek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the large number of studies on rodent ectoparasites—most of them vectors of epidemiologically important pathogens—infestation patterns remain poorly understood in various ecological contexts, such as the highly patchy agricultural landscapes. We aimed to relate the infestation of rodents to temporal, habitat, and host variables. We assessed the difference in parasite prevalence and mean abundance depending on host sex, age, and body weight, season, and land use intensity. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of host species abundance and the differential responses of parasites in main and minor host species. The field survey was conducted in a rural landscape in southern Transylvania (Romania) between June and September 2010–2011. We live-trapped small mammals, collected the ticks and fleas, and recorded the presence of lice and mites. Overall, we found the same infestation patterns largely reported in the literature: higher prevalence and mean abundance in heavier adult males, significant seasonality and differences among host species, and evidence of the dilution effect. The uniqueness of our study system was the negative effect of the land use intensity on the prevalence and mean abundance of parasites, explained by the highly patchy mosaic landscape. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:07:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e4b7af648e564bd0a6b06cd95533a603 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:07:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-e4b7af648e564bd0a6b06cd95533a6032024-01-26T14:33:11ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-01-0114230410.3390/ani14020304Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural LandscapeAna Maria Benedek0Ioana Boeraș1Anamaria Lazăr2Alexandra Sandu3Maria Denisa Cocîrlea4Maria Stănciugelu5Niculina Viorica Cic6Carmen Postolache7Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, RomaniaFaculty of Food and Tourism, Transylvania University of Braşov, 500036 Brașov, RomaniaDoctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Agricultural Sciences and Food Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, RomaniaBrukenthal National Museum, Natural History Museum, 550163 Sibiu, RomaniaIndependent Researcher, 335802 Petrila, RomaniaDoctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, RomaniaDespite the large number of studies on rodent ectoparasites—most of them vectors of epidemiologically important pathogens—infestation patterns remain poorly understood in various ecological contexts, such as the highly patchy agricultural landscapes. We aimed to relate the infestation of rodents to temporal, habitat, and host variables. We assessed the difference in parasite prevalence and mean abundance depending on host sex, age, and body weight, season, and land use intensity. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of host species abundance and the differential responses of parasites in main and minor host species. The field survey was conducted in a rural landscape in southern Transylvania (Romania) between June and September 2010–2011. We live-trapped small mammals, collected the ticks and fleas, and recorded the presence of lice and mites. Overall, we found the same infestation patterns largely reported in the literature: higher prevalence and mean abundance in heavier adult males, significant seasonality and differences among host species, and evidence of the dilution effect. The uniqueness of our study system was the negative effect of the land use intensity on the prevalence and mean abundance of parasites, explained by the highly patchy mosaic landscape.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/304ticksfleaslicemites<i>Microtus arvalis</i><i>Apodemus agrarius</i> |
| spellingShingle | Ana Maria Benedek Ioana Boeraș Anamaria Lazăr Alexandra Sandu Maria Denisa Cocîrlea Maria Stănciugelu Niculina Viorica Cic Carmen Postolache Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape Animals ticks fleas lice mites <i>Microtus arvalis</i> <i>Apodemus agrarius</i> |
| title | Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape |
| title_full | Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape |
| title_short | Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape |
| title_sort | effects of season habitat and host characteristics on ectoparasites of wild rodents in a mosaic rural landscape |
| topic | ticks fleas lice mites <i>Microtus arvalis</i> <i>Apodemus agrarius</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/304 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anamariabenedek effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT ioanaboeras effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT anamarialazar effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT alexandrasandu effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT mariadenisacocirlea effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT mariastanciugelu effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT niculinavioricacic effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape AT carmenpostolache effectsofseasonhabitatandhostcharacteristicsonectoparasitesofwildrodentsinamosaicrurallandscape |