Conservation of Parasites
Donald A. Windsor
I recently published this open access item:
Windsor, Donald A. Letter to the editor: Conservation of parasites.
International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 2021 February 9; 14: 137.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.01.011
Its main message is that parasites harm individual hosts but benefit their hosts by enabling them to survive as a species.
I offer the analogy that taxes harm individual members of society but benefit the society that enables them to survive.
After that, and more thought, I published this longer essay.
Windsor, Donald A. Differences between conservation of parasites and of hosts.
SciAesthetics Essays 2021 March 13: 1-4. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.13254.80968
Its main message is that when a host is threatened or endangered, remove any parasites that may be contributing to its demise.
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