Parasite-host contact in the Arctic: dispersal behaviour of infective nematode larvae from Svalbard reindeer faeces

Gastro-intestinal parasitic nematodes are typical pathogens of mammalian herbivores. A key moment of infection by passively ingested nematodes is the contact between infective larvae and the grazing host. Yet, knowledge on dispersal dynamics of larvae infecting wild herbivores in natural environments is limited. We studied the mode and range of lateral larval movement. As study species, we used infective larvae of Ostertagia gruehneri-a parasitic nematode that can negatively affect its host, Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus). In the laboratory, reindeer faecal pats containing larvae were introduced onto soil placed either horizontally or on a slope (10 degrees), mimicking the micro-topography of High Arctic tundra. After four weeks, 939 live nematodes were recorded, of which 23% were in the soil, mostly underneath the faecal pat (20%). The remaining 3% that dispersed away from the pat did so in both sloped and flat soil. We conclude that the larvae were able to actively move from faeces to soil and that subsequent dispersal was limited and not assisted by gravity (slope). These insights reveal potential infection hotspots, providing a glimpse in the complex interplay between parasite and host.