How Does Circadian Rhythm Shape Host-Parasite Associations? A Comparative Study on Infection Patterns in Diurnal and Nocturnal Raptors

Infection patterns of parasites, including their prevalence, diversity and host specificity, can be impacted by many biological environmental factors, but no study has focused on the circadian rhythms vertebrate hosts, which may affect susceptibilities encounter rates between hosts vectors further shape host-parasite associations. In this study, we avian haemosporidians, a classical model in studies associations, investigated infection rescued raptors brought to Beijing Raptor Rescue Center during 2007–2020. We first assessed association prevalence biotic traits; haemosporidian was higher nocturnal than diurnal raptors, Haemoproteus Leucocytozoon significantly that raptors. Furthermore, analysed phylogenetic relationship network-level differences parasites demonstrated lineages infecting were not clearly separated, lifestyle led more specialized network structure. These variations associations driven different or abundance day night. Our provides new insight into shaped rhythm calls for underlying mechanisms parasite infection.