Introduced Species, Disease Ecology, and Biodiversity–Disease Relationships

Species introductions are a dominant component of biodiversity change but are not explicitly included in most discussions of biodiversity–disease relationships. This is a major oversight given the multitude of effects that introduced species have on both parasitism and native hosts. Drawing on both...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in ecology & evolution (Amsterdam) 2017-01, Vol.32 (1), p.41-54
Main Authors: Young, Hillary S., Parker, Ingrid M., Gilbert, Gregory S., Sofia Guerra, Ana, Nunn, Charles L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biodiversity
dilution effect
Ecology
Introduced Species
invasive species
Parasites
Phylogeny
prevalence
species richness
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Summary:Species introductions are a dominant component of biodiversity change but are not explicitly included in most discussions of biodiversity–disease relationships. This is a major oversight given the multitude of effects that introduced species have on both parasitism and native hosts. Drawing on both animal and plant systems, we review the competing mechanistic pathways by which biological introductions influence parasite diversity and prevalence. While some mechanisms – such as local changes in phylogenetic composition and global homogenization – have strong explanatory potential, the net effects of introduced species, especially at local scales, remain poorly understood. Integrative, community-scale studies that explicitly incorporate introduced species are needed to make effective predictions about the effects of realistic biodiversity change and conservation action on disease. Introduced species can have strong effects on parasite prevalence and richness. Introductions primarily affect disease via changes in host composition, not richness. Local effects of introduced species can amplify or dilute parasite prevalence. Global homogenization and spread of human commensals systematically increase disease.
ISSN:0169-5347
1872-8383
DOI:10.1016/j.tree.2016.09.008