Pliant pathogens: Estimating viral spread when confronted with new vector, host, and environmental conditions. Issue 4 (26th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Porath‐Krause, Anita; Campbell, Ryan; Shoemaker, Lauren; Sieben, Andrew; Strauss, Alexander T.; Shaw, Allison K.; Seabloom, Eric W.; Borer, Elizabeth T.
• Is Part Of: Ecology and evolution. Volume 11:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 1877
• Page End: 1887
• Publication Date: 2021-01-26
• Subjects: Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus -- novel conditions -- pathogen -- transmission; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-7758

Abstract

Abstract: Pathogen spread rates are determined, in part, by the performance of pathogens under altered environmental conditions and their ability to persist while switching among hosts and vectors. To determine the effects of new conditions (host, vector, and nutrient) on pathogen spread rate, we introduced a vector‐borne viral plant pathogen, Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus PAV (BYDV‐PAV) into hosts, vectors, and host nutrient supplies that it had not encountered for thousands of viral generations. We quantified pathogen prevalence over the course of two serial inoculations under the new conditions. Using individual‐level transmission rates from this experiment, we parameterized a dynamical model of disease spread and projected spread across host populations through a growing season. A change in nutrient conditions (increased supply of phosphorus) reduced viral transmission whereas shifting to a new vector or host species had no effect on infection prevalence. However, the reduction in the new nutrient environment was only temporary; infection prevalence recovered after the second inoculation. Synthesis . These results highlight how robust the pathogen, BYDV‐PAV, is to changes in its biotic and abiotic environment. Our study also highlights the need to quantify longitudinal infection information beyond snapshot assessments to project disease risk for pathogens in new environments. Abstract : As pathogens move across the world, they encounter new hosts, vectors, and environmental conditions, and their ability to adapt to these new conditions impacts their ability to spread. Here, we demonstrate how a viral pathogen (barley yellow dwarf virus, BYDV‐PAV) was unaffected by switching vector and host species yet there was an initial negative impact of altered host nutrient conditions on virus spread. This effect was reversed after a single serial inoculation demonstrating how pathogens maintain the ability to spread under changing conditions—the core of pathogen spread.