Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation

Abstract Using a dynamic optimisation model for juvenile fish in stochastic food environments, we investigate optimal hormonal regulation, energy allocation and foraging behaviour of a growing host infected by a parasite that only incurs an energetic cost. We find it optimal for the infected host to...

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Main Authors: Camilla Håkonsrud Jensen, Jacqueline Weidner, Jarl Giske, Christian Jørgensen, Sigrunn Eliassen, Adèle Mennerat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-07-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10318
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author Camilla Håkonsrud Jensen
Jacqueline Weidner
Jarl Giske
Christian Jørgensen
Sigrunn Eliassen
Adèle Mennerat
author_facet Camilla Håkonsrud Jensen
Jacqueline Weidner
Jarl Giske
Christian Jørgensen
Sigrunn Eliassen
Adèle Mennerat
author_sort Camilla Håkonsrud Jensen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Using a dynamic optimisation model for juvenile fish in stochastic food environments, we investigate optimal hormonal regulation, energy allocation and foraging behaviour of a growing host infected by a parasite that only incurs an energetic cost. We find it optimal for the infected host to have higher levels of orexin, growth and thyroid hormones, resulting in higher activity levels, increased foraging and faster growth. This growth strategy thus displays several of the fingerprints often associated with parasite manipulation: higher levels of metabolic hormones, faster growth, higher allocation to reserves (i.e. parasite‐induced gigantism), higher risk‐taking and eventually higher predation rate. However, there is no route for manipulation in our model, so these changes reflect adaptive host compensatory responses. Interestingly, several of these changes also increase the fitness of the parasite. Our results call for caution when interpreting observations of gigantism or risky host behaviours as parasite manipulation without further testing.
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series Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-3b90874c38ee463397e21b9dfed2abf22025-08-20T03:01:35ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582023-07-01137n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10318Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulationCamilla Håkonsrud Jensen0Jacqueline Weidner1Jarl Giske2Christian Jørgensen3Sigrunn Eliassen4Adèle Mennerat5Department of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen NorwayDepartment of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen NorwayDepartment of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen NorwayDepartment of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen NorwayDepartment of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen NorwayDepartment of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen NorwayAbstract Using a dynamic optimisation model for juvenile fish in stochastic food environments, we investigate optimal hormonal regulation, energy allocation and foraging behaviour of a growing host infected by a parasite that only incurs an energetic cost. We find it optimal for the infected host to have higher levels of orexin, growth and thyroid hormones, resulting in higher activity levels, increased foraging and faster growth. This growth strategy thus displays several of the fingerprints often associated with parasite manipulation: higher levels of metabolic hormones, faster growth, higher allocation to reserves (i.e. parasite‐induced gigantism), higher risk‐taking and eventually higher predation rate. However, there is no route for manipulation in our model, so these changes reflect adaptive host compensatory responses. Interestingly, several of these changes also increase the fitness of the parasite. Our results call for caution when interpreting observations of gigantism or risky host behaviours as parasite manipulation without further testing.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10318gigantismhormone strategyhost compensationhost–parasite coevolutionparasite manipulation
spellingShingle Camilla Håkonsrud Jensen
Jacqueline Weidner
Jarl Giske
Christian Jørgensen
Sigrunn Eliassen
Adèle Mennerat
Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
Ecology and Evolution
gigantism
hormone strategy
host compensation
host–parasite coevolution
parasite manipulation
title Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
title_full Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
title_fullStr Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
title_full_unstemmed Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
title_short Adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
title_sort adaptive host responses to infection can resemble parasitic manipulation
topic gigantism
hormone strategy
host compensation
host–parasite coevolution
parasite manipulation
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10318
work_keys_str_mv AT camillahakonsrudjensen adaptivehostresponsestoinfectioncanresembleparasiticmanipulation
AT jacquelineweidner adaptivehostresponsestoinfectioncanresembleparasiticmanipulation
AT jarlgiske adaptivehostresponsestoinfectioncanresembleparasiticmanipulation
AT christianjørgensen adaptivehostresponsestoinfectioncanresembleparasiticmanipulation
AT sigrunneliassen adaptivehostresponsestoinfectioncanresembleparasiticmanipulation
AT adelemennerat adaptivehostresponsestoinfectioncanresembleparasiticmanipulation