Host traits and temperature predict biogeographical variation in seagrass disease prevalence
Diseases are ubiquitous in natural systems, with broad effects across populations, communities and ecosystems. However, the drivers of many diseases remain poorly understood, particularly in marine environments, inhibiting effective conservation and management measures. We examined biogeographical patterns of infection in the foundational seagrass <i>Zostera marina</i> by the parasitic protist <i>Labyrinthula zosterae</i>, the causative agent of seagrass wasting disease, across >20° of latitude in two ocean basins. We then identified and characterized relationships among wasting disease prevalence and a suite of host traits and environmental variables. Host characteristics and transmission dynamics explained most of the variance in prevalence across our survey, yet the particular host traits underlying these relationships varied between oceans, with host size and nitrogen content important in the Pacific and host size and density most important in the Atlantic. Temperature was also a key predictor of prevalence, particularly in the Pacific Ocean. The strength and shape of the relationships between prevalence and some predictors differed in our large-scale survey versus previous experimental and site-specific work. These results show that both host characteristics and environment influence host-parasite interactions, and that some such effects scale up predictably, whereas others appear to depend on regional or local context.
Authors
- J. Emmett Duffy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8595-6391)
- John J. Stachowicz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2735-0564)
- F. Joel Fodrie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8253-9648)
- P. Jorgensen
- Debra L. Martin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7341-8908)
- Clara M. Hereu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2088-9295)
- Torrance C. Hanley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1306-8189)
- Katharyn E. Boyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2680-2493)
- Bradley J. Peterson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5942-8253)
- Forest R. Schenck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0550-2099)
- Jeffrey L. Gaeckle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9733-1409)
- Nessa E. O’Connor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3133-0913)
- A. Randall Hughes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5072-7310)
- Kevin A. Hovel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1643-1847)
- Julia K. Baum (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9827-1612)
Institutions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- University of North Florida (US)
- Northeastern University (US)
- Sacred Heart University (US)
- Washington Department of Natural Resources (US)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (AR)
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (MX)
- National University of Mar del Plata (AR)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- University of Victoria (CA)
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy (US)
- San Diego State University (US)
- Sustainability Institute (ZA)
- Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (ES)
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté (FR)
- Institute of Marine and Coastal Research (AR)
- Marine Institute (IE)
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (US)
- Stony Brook University (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
- Published
- 2025-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.3055
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.38
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Smithsonian Institution