BIRD–ECTOPARASITE INTERACTIONS, NEST HUMIDITY, AND ECTOPARASITE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE

Abstract

Host nests are the key habitat for ectoparasite species that live and reproduce within the nest material. Nest properties can influence host and parasite reproductive success, and therefore the outcome of host–parasite interactions, as well as the composition of parasite communities. Previous correlational results suggested that nest humidity may increase the negative effect of fleas on Great Tit (Parus major) reproductive success. Since the causality of the relationship was unknown, we simultaneously manipulated both hen flea (Ceratophyllus gallinae) infestation and nest humidity in order to investigate: (1) the effect of flea infestation on nest humidity, (2) the effect of nest humidity on the prevalence of flea infestations, (3) the effect of nest humidity on adult flea survival and reproduction, (4) the interaction between flea infestations and nest humidity on Great Tit reproductive performance, and (5) the effect of both factors on secondary infestations by ectoparasitic Protocalliphora flies. The p...