title: Habitat fragmentation alters the properties of a host-parasite network: rodents and their helminths in South-East Asia.
abstract: 1. While the effects of deforestation and habitat fragmentation on parasite prevalence or richness are well investigated, host-parasite networks are still understudied despite their importance in understanding the mechanisms of these major disturbances. Because fragmentation may negatively impact species occupancy, abundance and co-occurrence, we predict a link between spatiotemporal changes in habitat and the architecture of host-parasite networks. 2. For this, we used an extensive data set on 16 rodent species and 29 helminth species from seven localities of South-East Asia. We analysed the effects of rapid deforestation on connectance and modularity of helminth-parasite networks. We estimated both the degree of fragmentation and the rate of deforestation through the development of land uses and their changes through the last 20 to 30 years in order to take into account the dynamics of habitat fragmentation in our statistical analyses. 3. We found that rapid fragmentation does not affect helminth species richness per se but impacts host-parasite interactions as the rodent-helminth network becomes less connected and more modular. 4. Our results suggest that parasite sharing among host species may become more difficult to maintain with the increase of habitat disturbance.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, CNRS-IRD-UM2, CC065, Université de Montpellier 2, 34095, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bordes
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, CNRS-IRD-UM2, CC065, Université de Montpellier 2, 34095, Montpellier, France.|CNRS-CIRAD, Centre d'Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux du Laos, PO Box 3888, Samsenthai Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morand
authors.affiliation: Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus 84990, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilosof
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, CNRS-IRD-UM2, CC065, Université de Montpellier 2, 34095, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Claude
authors.affiliation: Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus 84990, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
authors.forename: Boris R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Krasnov
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, F-34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cosson
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, F-34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chaval
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Group, Faculty of Science, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, Udon Thani, 41000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.affiliation: Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchavithi Rd, Ratchathevi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kittipong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chaisiri
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Biosecurity flagship, Australian Animal Health Laboratory, 5 Portarlington Road, Geelong, Vic., 3220, Australia.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blasdell
authors.affiliation: ESPACE-DEV, IRD - Université des Antilles et de la Guyane - Université de Montpellier 2 - Université de la Réunion, Station SEAS-OI, F-97410, Saint-Pierre, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Herbreteau
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, UMR TETIS, F-34093, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, UMR TETIS, F-34093, Montpellier, France.|UR22 AGIRs, Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Annelise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007812:Laos / Q000453:epidemiology; D009115:Muridae; D015995:Prevalence; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D018531:Spacecraft; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: South-East Asia; connectance; deforestation; fragmentation; helminths; land cover; modularity; network; parasitism; rodents