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Impacts of agriculture on the parasite communities of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) in southern Quebec, Canada

Title:

Impacts of agriculture on the parasite communities of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) in southern Quebec, Canada

King, K.C., McLaughlin, J. Daniel, Gendron, A.D., Pauli, B.D., Giroux, I., Rondeau, B., Boily, M., Juneau, P. and Marcogliese, D.J. (2007) Impacts of agriculture on the parasite communities of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) in southern Quebec, Canada. Parasitology, 134 (14). pp. 2063-2080. ISSN 0031-1820

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0031182007003277

Abstract

Given that numerous amphibians are suffering population declines, it is becoming increasingly important to examine the relationship between disease and environmental disturbance. Indeed, while many studies relate anthropogenic activity to changes in the parasitism of snails and fishes, little is known of the impact on the parasites of amphibians, particularly from agriculture. For 2 years, the parasite communities of metamorphic northern leopard frogs from 7 agricultural wetlands were compared with those from 2 reference wetlands to study differences in parasite community diversity and abundance of various species under pristine conditions and 3 categories of disturbance: only agricultural landscape, only pesticides, and agricultural landscape with pesticides. Agricultural (and urban) area was negatively related to species richness, and associated with the near absence of adult parasites and species that infect birds or mammals. We suggest that agriculture and urbanization may hinder parasite transmission to frogs by limiting access of other vertebrate hosts of their parasites to wetlands. The only parasite found at all localities was an unidentified echinostome infecting the kidneys. This parasite dominated communities in localities surrounded by the most agricultural land, suggesting generalist parasites may persist in disrupted habitats. Community composition was associated with dissolved organic carbon and conductivity, but few links were found with pesticides. Pollution effects may be masked by a strong impact of land use on parasite transmission.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Biology
Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Authors:King, K.C. and McLaughlin, J. Daniel and Gendron, A.D. and Pauli, B.D. and Giroux, I. and Rondeau, B. and Boily, M. and Juneau, P. and Marcogliese, D.J.
Journal or Publication:Parasitology
Date:December 2007
Funders:
  • Pesticide Science Fund (Environment Canada)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):10.1017/S0031182007003277
Keywords:parasite communities; amphibians; species richness; Rana pipiens; agriculture; pesticides; land use; urbanization; wetlands
ID Code:6778
Deposited By: Danielle Dennie
Deposited On:13 Jul 2010 16:04
Last Modified:18 Jan 2018 17:29

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