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Population Dynamics of Larval Trematodes in Juvenile Bluegills from Three Lakes II, Michigan, and the Potential for Overwinter Parasite‐Induced Host Mortality
Author(s) -
Pracheil Brenda M.,
Muzzall Patrick M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/t09-062.1
Subject(s) - biology , larva , juvenile , population , host (biology) , ecology , zoology , parasite hosting , parasitism , demography , sociology , world wide web , computer science
Abstract Prior studies of the population dynamics of larval trematodes infecting juvenile bluegills Lepomis macrochirus have suggested that there may be overwinter loss of the most heavily infected juvenile bluegills from the population. Our study objectives were to (1) describe population dynamics of the four most common larval trematodes— Cryptogonimus sp., Posthodiplostomum minimum, Diplostomum sp., and Neascus sp.—and the overall larval trematode burden for three year‐classes of juvenile bluegills in Three Lakes II, Michigan; and (2) assess the potential for larval trematode infections as a cause of first‐winter bluegill mortality based on changes in parasite overdispersion. We examined 393 juvenile bluegills for larval trematodes, and more than 99% of examined bluegills were infected with a parasite. Decreases in overdispersion of several larval trematode species in spring and summer 2003 may have been the result of larval trematode‐induced host mortality. The results of this study suggest that heavy larval trematode infections may be negatively influencing bluegill survival, particularly during and after winter. Additionally, this study demonstrates that population dynamics of larval trematodes in Three Lakes II are similar to those of trematodes found in the southeastern USA but that the larval trematodes in the present study may have a more negative effect on bluegill survival due to more harsh winter conditions.