Temporal host-parasite relationships of the wild rabbit,Oryctolagus cuniculus(L.) as revealed by stable isotope analyses

Abstract

Natural abundances of the stable isotopes,15N/14N (δ15N) and13C/12C (δ13C), were used to study temporal host-parasite relationships of the wild rabbit,Oryctolagus cuniculus(L.). During the 12-month sampling period, temporal isotopic shifts in δ15N were noted for dietary vegetation, host rabbit faeces and fur, but not for muscle or stomach contents. δ15N varied temporally for the parasitic cestode species,Mosgovoyia pectinatabut not forCittotaenia denticulata. Similarly, intestinal parasitic nematodes had apparent species-specific δ15N patterns. Only rabbit fur and intestinal parasitic nematodes did not exhibit temporal shifts in δ13C. Overall, host faeces and stomach contents were isotopically indistinct as a likely consequence of coprophagy. Relative to their host, parasitic nematodes were15N-enriched, consistent with an increase in trophic level status. Conversely, cestodes were15N-depleted. Isotopically, each parasite reflected a species-specific relationship with their rabbit host. This technique could be utilized to integrate parasites into food-web studies.