The Devil's in the Diversity: Divergent Parasite Faunas and their Impacts on Body Condition in Two Greenland Caribou Populations

Parasites are important components of ecosystems; significantly impacting host health, and informing on contemporary and historical host movements and environmental changes. I characterised gastrointestinal parasite faunas and assessed their associations to body condition and fecundity in two populations of west Greenland caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus). Parasite diversity was described using fecal flotations and examinations of abomasa and small intestines. Anoplocephalidae, Nematodirinae and “Strongyle”-type eggs and Eimeria oocysts were found in fecal samples from both populations, but Marshallagia spp. eggs were only found in those from Kangerlussuaq-Sisimiut. Adult nematodes were recovered from all abomasa, with Marshallagia marshalli and Teladorsagia boreoarcticus from Kangerlussuaq- Sisimiut and Ostertagia gruehneri from Akia-Maniitsoq caribou. I hypothesise these faunas were structured by parasite loss during caribou colonization and subsequent parasite spill-over from introduced muskoxen and reindeer. Body condition of caribou from both populations was negatively associated with adult nematode intensity; however, fecundity was only associated with O. gruehneri.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Steele, Jillian Felise

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Kutz, Susan
• Orsel, Karin

• Parasitology
• Veterinary Science
• Zoology

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/28063

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/420