The relationship between host lifespan and pathogen reservoir potential: an analysis in the system Arabidopsis thaliana--cucumber mosaic virus.
Identification of the determinants of pathogen reservoir potential is central to understand disease emergence.It has been proposed that host lifespan is one such determinant: short-lived hosts will invest less in costly defenses against pathogens, so that they will be more susceptible to infection, more competent as sources ellakai of infection and