title: [Population biology of parasites: current status and prospects].
abstract: The present state of parasite population biology is reviewed with special reference to parasites of fish. Mathematical models have provided a coherent body of theory which is supported by many laboratory investigations. There is nevertheless some disagreement between predictions based on this theory and data obtained from investigations of natural parasite populations. It is suggested that this is partly due to the oversimplifications and limitations of the models, and partly to the unsystematic approach of many field investigations and the resulting shortage of data of the right sort. In freshwater habitats disagreement may also be due to the rapid and extensive changes that are taking place in the habitats themselves as a direct consequence of human activities. Future developments should involve models becoming more realistic, and field investigations being conducted in a more systematic and analytical manner in order to obtain quantitative measurements of the essential population parameters.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology; D005399:Fishes / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008511:Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000639:trends*; D012106:Research; D013038:Specialization
vernacular_title: Populiatsionnaia biologiia parazitov: sovremennoe sostoianie.