Phylogeography and genetics of the globally invasive snail Physa acuta Draparnaud 1805, and its potential to serve as an intermediate host to larval digenetic trematodes

This study includes a wider geographic sampling of P. acuta within its native range that provides insight into phylogeographic and population genetic structure, range-wide genetic diversity and estimation of the invasion history. Meta-analysis of P. acuta - trematode surveys globally is consistent with the 'Enemy-Release hypothesis'. Additionally, results from this study suggest that host demographic parameters, namely genetic diversity as a proxy for population size, may play an essential role in how parasite communities assemble within invasive host populations. This knowledge can be used to begin to construct a framework to model host-parasite invasion dynamics over time.