title: Temporal changes in growth, condition and trophic niche in juvenile Cyprinus carpio infected with a non-native parasite.
abstract: In host-parasite relationships, parasite prevalence and abundance can vary over time, potentially impacting how hosts are affected by infection. Here, the pathology, growth, condition and diet of a juvenile Cyprinus carpio cohort infected with the non-native cestode Bothriocephalus acheilognathi was measured in October 2012 (end of their first summer of life), April 2013 (end of first winter) and October 2013 (end of second summer). Pathology revealed consistent impacts, including severe compression and architectural modification of the intestine. At the end of the first summer, there was no difference in lengths and condition of the infected and uninfected fish. However, at the end of the winter period, the condition of infected fish was significantly reduced and by the end of their second summer, the infected fish were significantly smaller and remained in significantly reduced condition. Their diets were significantly different over time; infected fish consumed significantly higher proportions of food items <53 µm than uninfected individuals, a likely consequence of impaired functional traits due to infection. Thus, the sub-lethal impacts of this parasite, namely changes in histopathology, growth and trophic niche were dependent on time and/or age of the fish.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences,Faculty of Science and Technology,Bournemouth University,Poole BH12 5BB,UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6364-4741
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pegg
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences,Faculty of Science and Technology,Bournemouth University,Poole BH12 5BB,UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andreou
authors.affiliation: Fisheries Technical Services,Environment Agency,Bromholme Lane,Brampton,Huntingdon,Cambridgeshire PE28 4NE,UK.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Sciences,Faculty of Science and Technology,Bournemouth University,Poole BH12 5BB,UK.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Britton
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D049628:Body Size; D002347:Carps / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D002589:Cestoda / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D061005:Ponds; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Bothriocephalus acheilognathi; Trophically transmitted parasite; cestode; diet; fitness; stable isotope analysis