TY - JOUR
T1 - When parasites become prey
T2 - Ecological and epidemiological significance of eating parasites
AU - Johnson, Pieter T.J.
AU - Dobson, Andrew P.
AU - Lafferty, Kevin D.
AU - Marcogliese, David J.
AU - Memmott, Jane
AU - Orlofske, Sarah A.
AU - Poulin, Robert
AU - Thieltges, David W.
PY - 2010/6
Y1 - 2010/6
N2 - Recent efforts to include parasites in food webs have drawn attention to a previously ignored facet of foraging ecology: parasites commonly function as prey within ecosystems. Because of the high productivity of parasites, their unique nutritional composition and their pathogenicity in hosts, their consumption affects both food-web topology and disease risk in humans and wildlife. Here, we evaluate the ecological, evolutionary and epidemiological significance of feeding on parasites, including concomitant predation, grooming, predation on free-living stages and intraguild predation. Combining empirical data and theoretical models, we show that consumption of parasites is neither rare nor accidental, and that it can sharply affect parasite transmission and food web properties. Broader consideration of predation on parasites will enhance our understanding of disease control, food web structure and energy transfer, and the evolution of complex life cycles.
AB - Recent efforts to include parasites in food webs have drawn attention to a previously ignored facet of foraging ecology: parasites commonly function as prey within ecosystems. Because of the high productivity of parasites, their unique nutritional composition and their pathogenicity in hosts, their consumption affects both food-web topology and disease risk in humans and wildlife. Here, we evaluate the ecological, evolutionary and epidemiological significance of feeding on parasites, including concomitant predation, grooming, predation on free-living stages and intraguild predation. Combining empirical data and theoretical models, we show that consumption of parasites is neither rare nor accidental, and that it can sharply affect parasite transmission and food web properties. Broader consideration of predation on parasites will enhance our understanding of disease control, food web structure and energy transfer, and the evolution of complex life cycles.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954640726&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77954640726&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tree.2010.01.005
DO - 10.1016/j.tree.2010.01.005
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20185202
AN - SCOPUS:77954640726
SN - 0169-5347
VL - 25
SP - 362
EP - 371
JO - Trends in Ecology and Evolution
JF - Trends in Ecology and Evolution
IS - 6
ER -