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Evidence for host variation in parasite tolerance in a wild fish population

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Abstract

Hosts can protect themselves against parasites by actively reducing parasites burden (i.e. resistance) or by limiting the damages caused by parasites (i.e. tolerance). Disentangling between tolerance and resistance is important for predicting the evolutionary outcomes of host-parasite interaction. Dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) are often parasitized by the ectoparasite Tracheliastes polycolpus which feeds on (and destroys) fins, reducing thus the host’s condition. We tested the hypothesis that genetically-based variation in ectoparasite tolerance exists in a wild dace population. We found that moderately heterozygous dace, which are less resistant than highly heterozygous or homozygous dace, tolerated better the effect imposed by T. polycolpus for a given parasite burden. However, tolerance also varied upon environmental conditions, suggesting that genetic and environmentally-based variation exists for both resistance and tolerance in this natural host-parasite system. Moreover, a negative genetic correlation may exist between tolerance and resistance, and hence several evolutionary outcomes are possible in this interacting system.

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Acknowledgments

We kindly thank Frédéric Thomas, David J. Paez and Lars Råberg for their fruitful comments and discussion on this paper. Comments from three anonymous referees greatly improve the overall quality of the manuscript. We also would like to thank the many people from our lab who give a hand on the field, as well as Pauline Berthier and Roselyne Etienne who help with genotyping. This research was founded by the Agence de L’Eau Adour-Garonne.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Station Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis, U.S.R 2936, 09100, Moulis, France

    S. Blanchet

  2. Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, U.M.R 5174, C.N.R.S, University Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse cedex 4, France

    S. Blanchet & G. Loot

  3. Centre de Biologie et de Gestion des Populations, Campus international de Baillarguet, CS 00016, 34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France

    O. Rey

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  1. S. Blanchet
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  2. O. Rey
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Correspondence to S. Blanchet.

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Blanchet, S., Rey, O. & Loot, G. Evidence for host variation in parasite tolerance in a wild fish population. Evol Ecol 24, 1129–1139 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-010-9353-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-010-9353-x

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