Parasites and food webs - the ultimate missing links

A children's book on ecology introduces food webs by revealing that lions eat zebras and zebras eat grass. "Who eats lions?" an impudent child might ask. Fecal exams from 33 Serengeti lions reveal the eggs or cysts of 20 parasite species, but these are not in the children's book, nor do parasites commonly find a place in studies of food webs. Considering that parasitism is the most popular lifestyle on Earth, there is concern that food webs may not be complete without parasites. This working group brings together a range of experts on parasitism, food web theory, and empirical food webs to consider how to move ecology forward with parasites. It will include developing theoretical food webs capable of considering parasites, investigate, in detail, the few food webs with parasites, and consider how ecologists can incorporate parasites into future food web studies. The results will provide a more complete view of nature as well as provide insight into better controls for infectious disease.