title: Differential prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in two sympatric closely related non-migratory passerines.
abstract: Haemosporidian parasites infecting birds show distinct heterogeneity in their distribution among host species. However, despite numerous studies on the prevalence and diversity of parasite communities across species, very little is known on patterns of differences between them. Such data is lacking because up to date the majority of studies explored the patterns of variation in infections in different years, different time of sampling within a year or a breeding cycle, different study sites or was based on a small sample size, all of which may affect the estimates of prevalence and parasite diversity. Here, the prevalence, richness and diversity of haemosporidian parasites from the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus were studied in two closely related non-migratory hole-nesting passerines: Great Tits and Blue Tits. Birds were sampled in sympatrically breeding populations during two seasons at the same stage of their breeding cycle - late nestling care. Great Tits were more prevalently infected with Plasmodium and Haemoproteus parasites (97·1 vs 71·2%), harboured a higher proportion of multiple infections (26·2 vs 3·2%) and had a more diverse parasite community (11 vs 5 parasite lineages) than Blue Tits. Observed differences between two host species are discussed with reference to their breeding densities and immunological and behavioural characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Museum and Institute of Zoology,Polish Academy of Sciences,Wilcza 64,00-679 Warszawa,Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubiec
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences,Jagiellonian University,Gronostajowa 7,30-387 Kraków,Poland.
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Podmokła
authors.affiliation: Ornithological Station,Museum and Institute of Zoology,Polish Academy of Sciences,Nadwiślańska 108,80-680 Gdańsk,Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zagalska-Neubauer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences,Jagiellonian University,Gronostajowa 7,30-387 Kraków,Poland.
authors.forename: Szymon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Drobniak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences,Jagiellonian University,Gronostajowa 7,30-387 Kraków,Poland.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arct
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Genetics,Evolutionary Biology Centre,Uppsala University,Norbyvägen 18 D,SE-752 36 Uppsala,Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences,Jagiellonian University,Gronostajowa 7,30-387 Kraków,Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cichoń
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D016787:Haemosporida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008289:Malaria, Avian / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012621:Seasons; D013045:Species Specificity; D061350:Sympatry
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Cyanistes caeruleus; Parus major; haemosporidian parasites; parasite diversity; parasite richness; prevalence