Does increased mortality from novel predators or parasites always lead to decreased prey or host population sizes? Theory says no, but we have too few examples of such compensatory effects to answer this question conclusively. We address this gap using long-term data from populations recently invaded by a nematode parasite. We combine analyses of the subsequent changes in population dynamics with comparable data from an uninfected population and laboratory assays of the effect of the parasite on fitness components. Our results show that the negative effect of the novel parasite was short-lived. The host population quickly recovered, even while experiencing high levels of parasite prevalence (72%). Host recovery was a consequence of increased survival and a density-dependent increase in recruitment.

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