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Stable-isotope analysis: a neglected tool for placing parasites in food webs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2018

A.J.M. Sabadel ,
A.D. Stumbo  and
C.D. MacLeod
A.J.M. Sabadel*
Affiliation:
University of Otago, Department of Chemistry, Dunedin, New Zealand
A.D. Stumbo
Affiliation:
Otago Museum, Dunedin, New Zealand
C.D. MacLeod
Affiliation:
University of British Columbia, Department of Zoology, Vancouver, Canada
*
Author for correspondence: A.J.M. Sabadel, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Parasites are often overlooked in the construction of food webs, despite their ubiquitous presence in almost every type of ecosystem. Researchers who do recognize their importance often struggle to include parasites using classical food-web theory, mainly due to the parasites' multiple hosts and life stages. A novel approach using compound-specific stable-isotope analysis promises to provide considerable insight into the energetic exchanges of parasite and host, which may solve some of the issues inherent in incorporating parasites using a classical approach. Understanding the role of parasites within food webs, and tracing the associated biomass transfers, are crucial to constructing new models that will expand our knowledge of food webs. This mini-review focuses on stable-isotope studies published in the past decade, and introduces compound-specific stable-isotope analysis as a powerful, but underutilized, newly developed tool that may answer many unresolved questions regarding the role of parasites in food webs.

Type
Review Article
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 93 , Issue 1 , January 2019 , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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