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Bottom‐up regulation of malaria population dynamics in mice co‐infected with lung‐migratory nematodes
Author(s) -
Griffiths Emily C.,
FairlieClarke Karen,
Allen Judith E.,
Metcalf C. Jessica E.,
Graham Andrea L.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12534
Subject(s) - biology , ecology , plasmodium chabaudi , malaria , population , community , mesocosm , population ecology , immunity , host (biology) , immune system , immunology , ecosystem , plasmodium falciparum , demography , parasitemia , sociology
When and how populations are regulated by bottom up vs. top down processes, and how those processes are affected by co‐occurring species, are poorly characterised across much of ecology. We are especially interested in the community ecology of parasites that must share a host. Here, we quantify how resources and immunity affect parasite propagation in experiments in near‐replicate ‘mesocosms’’ – i.e. mice infected with malaria ( Plasmodium chabaudi ) and nematodes ( Nippostrongylus brasiliensis ). Nematodes suppressed immune responses against malaria, and yet malaria populations were smaller in co‐infected hosts. Further analyses of within‐host epidemiology revealed that nematode co‐infection altered malaria propagation by suppressing target cell availability. This is the first demonstration that bottom‐up resource regulation may have earlier and stronger effects than top‐down immune mechanisms on within‐host community dynamics. Our findings demonstrate the potential power of experimental ecology to disentangle mechanisms of population regulation in complex communities.

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