Helminth Diversity of Green Treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) in Their Expanded Geographical Range

• DOI: 10.1645/20-6
• Publication Date: 2021-12-13T06:15:26Z
• Authors: Dale D. Edwards; Noah M. Gordon
• Keywords: Hyla

There has been a growing interest in characterizing the parasite faunas of species populations as they expand their geographical ranges result climate change. Expanded-range often exhibit lower diversity than historical-range populations, and reduced parasitism may, part, be attributable to expanded-range escaping native range parasites. The present study compares helminth green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) from 4 historical determine whether these latter have undergone escape. Results this found relatively high degrees similarity composition among assemblages within or range-expansion locations, with marked differences between frogs. Because locations exhibited significant decreases compared those sites, appear levels typically experienced by frogs range. Most notably, there was decrease abundance helminths direct life cycles absence trematode indirect H. cinerea. low prevalence could limit parasites' ability introduced propagated locations. However, lack cinerea its expanded may also due limited availability other aquatic hosts that are required complete reduction lends some credence notion individuals at front expansion invest less energy reproduction doing so allocate more dispersal life-history traits, including resistance however, explanations for many reported host generalists amphibians whose recruitment transmission intermediate paratenic known constrained water and/or soil moisture conditions, we cannot ignore role both local amphibian abiotic factors influencing 2 population types treefrogs. These would escape trade-offs driving instead suggest conditions play prominent structuring communities.