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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.12.22.571902

Complex life cycles and parasite-mediated trophic cascades drive species coexistence and the maintenance of genetic diversity

Hijar-Islas, A. C.·Mon Pere, N. V.·Huang, W.·Eizaguirre, C.
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Abstract

Ecological and evolutionary processes shape the dynamics of species interactions, yet the drivers of eco-evolutionary feedback remain elusive. Here, we developed an individual-based model of a coevolving predator-prey-parasite system, in which predators can be infected by trophically transmitted parasites. We combined host-parasite coevolution with prey-predator interactions at an individual level, hence integrating evolutionary and ecological processes. We show that species coexist more when parasite-mediated selection is weak on both the predator and the prey. Population size and genotypic diversity of the parasite are highest at intermediate parasite-mediated selection on the predator and no parasite-mediated selection on the prey. Interestingly, we show that the evolution of super-resistant genotypes, where host genotypes have resistant alleles in all loci, is driven by interspecific interactions rather than by the population size of the host species. Overall, host-parasite coevolution shapes the direction of interspecific ecological interactions which, in turn, determine species coexistence and community diversity in a complex system.

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Hijar-Islas, A. C., Mon Pere, N. V., Huang, W., Eizaguirre, C.. 2023-12-23. Complex life cycles and parasite-mediated trophic cascades drive species coexistence and the maintenance of genetic diversity. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.12.22.571902

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