Elevational Patterns of Blowfly Parasitism in Two Hole Nesting Avian Species

Climate change is predicted to cause shifts in parasite distributions, leading encounters with new hosts. Mountains offer a natural experimental background study how distributions vary across climatic gradients. Parasite abundance generally assumed decrease ascending elevation, as colder climates may preclude several parasites complete their life cycles. The present analyses the elevational variation prevalence and intensity of blowfly Protocalliphora azurea found nests two hosts—the coal tit (Periparus ater) great (Parus major)—in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain). adults are free-living flies, while larvae nest-dwelling that feed on nestling blood. In contrast initial predictions, P. were less prevalent at lower elevations. Mediterranean environments, damper climate medium high elevations might favour this parasite. Alternatively, greater anthropogenic perturbation lowland environments have negative impact findings also show host species had similar loads. As tits half size tits, suggests more severely parasitised. conclusion, generalised assumption decreases elevation does not hold true for case patterns probably depend specific host–parasite systems conditions mountains.