Seasonal and biological drivers of gastrointestinal parasites in wild rodents from two areas with different anthropogenic pressures in a semi-arid region

The results presented in this one-year study indicate that gastrointestinal parasites in Phyllotis darwini in north-central Chile are influenced by habitat alteration, seasonality, and body mass. Reduction of host populations due to anthropogenic effects may limit parasite transmission in altered sites. Non-native hosts may still introduce new species to the parasite fauna of P. darwini in the altered area. Seasonal patterns may be explained by favorable biotic and abiotic conditions during wetter winter, for both hosts and developmental parasitic stages, including time-lagged effects extended into spring. Finally, larger rodents may show higher exposure to parasite transmission.