Long-term field survey reveals salinity as key determinant of estuarine host infection by a non-native castrating parasite.

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Hauptverfasser: Pochtar, Darby, Ruiz, Gregory, Tepolt, Carolyn, Blakeslee, April M H, Torchin, Mark, Noble, Monaca, Fowler, Amy
Format: Artículo científico
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences 2026
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author Pochtar, Darby
Ruiz, Gregory
Tepolt, Carolyn
Blakeslee, April M H
Torchin, Mark
Noble, Monaca
Fowler, Amy
author_facet Pochtar, Darby
Ruiz, Gregory
Tepolt, Carolyn
Blakeslee, April M H
Torchin, Mark
Noble, Monaca
Fowler, Amy
Pochtar, Darby
Ruiz, Gregory
Tepolt, Carolyn
Blakeslee, April M H
Torchin, Mark
Noble, Monaca
Fowler, Amy
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Long-term field survey reveals salinity as key determinant of estuarine host infection by a non-native castrating parasite. Pochtar, Darby Ruiz, Gregory Tepolt, Carolyn Blakeslee, April M H Torchin, Mark Noble, Monaca Fowler, Amy Animals Salinity Estuaries Host-Parasite Interactions Brachyura Maryland Temperature Female Introduced Species Copepoda Prevalence Long-term ecological studies are essential for understanding community structure and change. In estuaries, dynamic environmental gradients drive spatiotemporal shifts in populations through complex abiotic and biotic interactions. Biological invasions add novel relationships, including those between hosts and parasites. Estuarine environments often provide low-salinity refugia that reduce parasite pressure, slowing host resistance evolution by maintaining a reservoir of susceptible individuals. When naive hosts emerge from these refugia, they may support host recovery and supply new targets for parasites, diluting resistance in the population. Using a 12-year field survey across a salinity gradient in Chesapeake Bay, MD, USA, we examined how environmental conditions (salinity, temperature) and host demographics (% gravid females, total abundance and size) correlate with infection prevalence of the introduced castrating parasite Loxothylacus panopaei in native, white-fingered mud crabs (Rhithropanopeus harrisii). Infection prevalence varied from 0 to 75.9% (n = 102 632) and peaked with elevated salinity, temperature and host reproduction. Larger crabs (>9 mm carapace width) showed higher infection rates, especially under high salinity and temperature. Salinity was the most consistent predictor of infection, with low salinity (
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41791741
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Long-term field survey reveals salinity as key determinant of estuarine host infection by a non-native castrating parasite.
Pochtar, Darby
Ruiz, Gregory
Tepolt, Carolyn
Blakeslee, April M H
Torchin, Mark
Noble, Monaca
Fowler, Amy
Animals
Salinity
Estuaries
Host-Parasite Interactions
Brachyura
Maryland
Temperature
Female
Introduced Species
Copepoda
Prevalence
Long-term field survey reveals salinity as key determinant of estuarine host infection by a non-native castrating parasite. Pochtar, Darby Ruiz, Gregory Tepolt, Carolyn Blakeslee, April M H Torchin, Mark Noble, Monaca Fowler, Amy Animals Salinity Estuaries Host-Parasite Interactions Brachyura Maryland Temperature Female Introduced Species Copepoda Prevalence Long-term ecological studies are essential for understanding community structure and change. In estuaries, dynamic environmental gradients drive spatiotemporal shifts in populations through complex abiotic and biotic interactions. Biological invasions add novel relationships, including those between hosts and parasites. Estuarine environments often provide low-salinity refugia that reduce parasite pressure, slowing host resistance evolution by maintaining a reservoir of susceptible individuals. When naive hosts emerge from these refugia, they may support host recovery and supply new targets for parasites, diluting resistance in the population. Using a 12-year field survey across a salinity gradient in Chesapeake Bay, MD, USA, we examined how environmental conditions (salinity, temperature) and host demographics (% gravid females, total abundance and size) correlate with infection prevalence of the introduced castrating parasite Loxothylacus panopaei in native, white-fingered mud crabs (Rhithropanopeus harrisii). Infection prevalence varied from 0 to 75.9% (n = 102 632) and peaked with elevated salinity, temperature and host reproduction. Larger crabs (>9 mm carapace width) showed higher infection rates, especially under high salinity and temperature. Salinity was the most consistent predictor of infection, with low salinity (
title Long-term field survey reveals salinity as key determinant of estuarine host infection by a non-native castrating parasite.
topic Animals
Salinity
Estuaries
Host-Parasite Interactions
Brachyura
Maryland
Temperature
Female
Introduced Species
Copepoda
Prevalence
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41791741/