Using Agent-Based Modelling to Predict the Role of Wild Refugia in the Evolution of Resistance of Sea Lice to Chemotherapeutants
Authored by Gregor F McEwan, Maya L Groner, Mark D Fast, George Gettinby, Crawford W Revie
Date Published: 2015
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139128
Sponsors:
Atlantic Innovation Fund through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program
Platforms:
AnyLogic
Model Documentation:
ODD
Flow charts
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
https://github.com/gmcewan/SalmonFarmRefugia
Abstract
A major challenge for Atlantic salmon farming in the northern hemisphere
is infestation by the sea louse parasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis. The
most frequent method of controlling these sea louse infestations is
through the use of chemical treatments. However, most major salmon
farming areas have observed resistance to common chemotherapeutants. In
terrestrial environments, many strategies employed to manage the
evolution of resistance involve the use of refugia, where a portion of
the population is left untreated to maintain susceptibility. While
refugia have not been deliberately used in Atlantic salmon farming, wild
salmon populations that migrate close to salmon farms may act as natural
refugia. In this paper we describe an agent-based model that explores
the influence of different sizes of wild salmon populations on
resistance evolution in sea lice on a salmon farm. Using the model, we
demonstrate that wild salmon populations can act as refugia that limit
the evolution of resistance in the sea louse populations. Additionally, we demonstrate that an increase in the size of the population of wild
salmon results in an increased effect in slowing the evolution of
resistance. We explore the effect of a population fitness cost
associated with resistance, finding that in some cases it substantially
reduces the speed of evolution to chemical treatments.
Tags
Drug-resistance
Canada
Farmed atlantic salmon
Emamectin benzoate resistance
Louse
lepeophtheirus-salmonis
Insecticide resistance
Salar l
Epidemiologic
patterns
New-brunswick
Infestations