10.5061/DRYAD.GT86F
Fourcade, Yoan
University of East Anglia
Keišs, Oskars
University of Latvia
Richardson, David S.
University of East Anglia
Secondi, Jean
University of Angers
Data from: Continental-scale patterns of pathogen prevalence: a case study
on the corncrake
Dryad
dataset
2014
Avian malaria
Plasmodium
haemosporidian parasites
parasite transmission
corncrake
Crex Crex
Haemoproteus
Leucocytozoon
2014-07-08T15:30:34Z
2014-07-08T15:30:34Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12192
15608 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Pathogen infections can represent a substantial threat to wild
populations, especially those already limited in size. To determine how
much variation in the pathogens observed among fragmented populations is
caused by ecological factors, one needs to examine systems where host
genetic diversity is consistent among the populations, thus controlling
for any potentially confounding genetic effects. Here, we report
geographic variation in haemosporidian infection among European
populations of corncrake. This species now occurs in fragmented
populations, but there is little genetic structure and equally high levels
of genetic diversity among these populations. We observed a longitudinal
gradient of prevalence from western to Eastern Europe negatively
correlated with national agricultural yield, but positively correlated
with corncrake census population sizes when only the most widespread
lineage is considered. This likely reveals a possible impact of local
agriculture intensity, which reduced host population densities in Western
Europe and, potentially, insect vector abundance, thus reducing the
transmission of pathogens. We conclude that in the corncrake system, where
metapopulation dynamics resulted in variations in local census population
sizes, but not in the genetic impoverishment of these populations,
anthropogenic activity has led to a reduction in host populations and
pathogen prevalence.
Infection status of corncrake samplesInfection status and haemosporidian
lineages detected in 354 corncrake (Crex crex) samples collected in 9
populations across Europe.Dryad_infection_status.xlsx
Europe