In:
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Canadian Science Publishing, Vol. 71, No. 6 ( 2014-06), p. 808-813
Abstract:
The emergence of epizootic shell disease in American lobsters (Homarus americanus) has presented many new challenges to understanding the interface between disease and the management of the lobster fishery. While a variety of the potentially causative and correlative factors for shell disease have been explored, a clear etiological agent remains elusive. The recency of this disease and the lack of identifiable causal agents have hindered the development of conceptual models that can yield testable predictions. Here, a model originally developed for human–parasite interactions was applied to lobster shell disease as a means to unify the broad experimental and field observations. The model is a graphical means to understand the onset and severity of shell disease and is a function of the length of the molt cycle and the rate of the decrease of health both before and after lesion formation as a function of bacterial abundance and pathogenicity. The model also accounts for shell hardening and passive and active portals of entry for the bacteria. The timing for a conceptual understanding of the epidemiology of shell disease is critical because its prevalence is increasing in key fishing areas. Ideally, such a model will help researchers create hypothesis-driven predictive experiments from which we can further our understanding of an important disease to a critical member of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0706-652X
,
1205-7533
DOI:
10.1139/cjfas-2013-0373
Language:
English
Publisher:
Canadian Science Publishing
Publication Date:
2014
detail.hit.zdb_id:
7966-2
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1473089-3
SSG:
21,3
SSG:
12
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