Dynamics of parasite communities in an age series of Baikal omul Coregonus migratorius (Georgi, 1775)

Abstract

Parasite communities of Baikal omul from Chivyrkuiskii Bay of Lake Baikal have been analyzed at levels of a host individual (infracommunity), a separate age group of a host (set of infracommunities), and a host population (component community). Significant positive correlations of parameters of species richness (number of parasite species, Margalef and Menhinick indices) with the age of Baikal omul were recorded only at the level of parasite infracommunities. The absence of linear positive correlations between the parameters of species richness and the age of Baikal omul at the level of sets of parasite infracommunities were revealed for the first time for fishes of Lake Baikal. The peculiarity of the dynamics of parasite communities of Baikal omul is determined by specific features of the host physiology and ecology, primarily by the age dynamics of the feeding spectrum.