Experimental testing of reciprocal effects of nutrition and parasitism in wild black capuchin monkeys

Abstract

Nutritional stress may predispose individuals to infection, which in turn can have further detrimental effects on physical condition, thus creating an opportunity for reciprocal effects between nutrition and parasitism. Little experimental investigation has been conducted on this "vicious circle" hypothesis in wild animals, especially under natural conditions. We evaluated the reciprocal effects of nutritional status and parasitism using an experimental approach in two groups of wild black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus). Across two consecutive winters, we collected faecal samples from identified capuchins to determine presence and load of gastrointestinal helminthes, and measured individual body mass as a proxy of physical condition. Food availability was manipulated by provisioning monkeys with bananas, and parasite burdens by applying antiparasitic drugs to selected individuals. We found no effect of antiparasitic drugs on physical condition, but parasite loads decreased in response to high levels of food availability. Our results represent the first experimental evidence that the nutritional status may drive parasite dynamics in a primate.