Happy to share our latest publication on the positive dietary role of chytrid fungal parasites in aquatic food webs:
Everyone heard about the positive role of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as the omega-3 EPA, DHA, or omega-6 ARA. These are essential dietary molecules for little animals living in open water (zooplankton) as they cannot synthesize PUFA de novo.
Chytrid parasites can elongate short-chain to long-chain PUFA (PUFA-upgrading) and, thus, improve diet quality for subsequent consumers. We argue that increased diet quality and herbivory (little animals feeding on little plants in open water) with chytrids create a positive feedback loop in the aquatic food web: tiny newborn zooplankton grow faster, eat more, and grow even better.
(A) free swimming chytrid zoospores (~ 3 μm); (B) chytrid parasites attached to the cyanobacterium host (Planktothrix rubescens); (C) the chytrid zoospore developing into a sporangium, which then releases many free-swimming zoospores
We have shown first evidence that chytrids-mediated PUFA-upgrading extends to the primary consumer level (zooplankton), enhancing its fitness.
Conclusion: eat your cupcake with - at least - some fresh blueberry parasites :-)
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