Pascoe, Emily L, Marcantonio, Matteo, Caminade, Cyril 
ORCID: 0000-0002-3846-7082 and Foley, Janet E
(2019)
Modeling Potential Habitat for Amblyomma Tick Species in California.
INSECTS, 10 (7).
E201-.
|
Text
insects-10-00201.pdf - Published version Download (3MB) | Preview |
Abstract
The <i>Amblyomma</i> genus of ticks comprises species that are aggressive human biters and vectors of pathogens. Numerous species in the genus are undergoing rapid range expansion. <i>Amblyomma</i> ticks have occasionally been introduced into California, but as yet, no established populations have been reported in the state. Because California has high ecological diversity and is a transport hub for potentially parasitized humans and animals, the risk of future <i>Amblyomma</i> establishment may be high. We used ecological niche modeling to predict areas in California suitable for four tick species that pose high risk to humans: <i>Amblyomma americanum</i>, <i>Amblyomma maculatum</i>, <i>Amblyomma cajennense</i> and <i>Amblyomma mixtum.</i> We collected presence data in the Americas for each species from the published literature and online databases. Twenty-three climatic and ecological variables were used in a MaxEnt algorithm to predict the distribution of each species. The minimum temperature of the coldest month was an important predictor for all four species due to high mortality of <i>Amblyomma</i> at low temperatures. Areas in California appear to be ecologically suitable for <i>A. americanum</i>, <i>A. maculatum,</i> and <i>A. cajennense</i>, but not <i>A. mixtum</i>. These findings could inform targeted surveillance prior to an invasion event, to allow mitigation actions to be quickly implemented.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Amblyomma, invasive species, MaxEnt, species distribution modeling, ticks |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Jul 2019 09:21 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jan 2024 08:30 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/insects10070201 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3049626 |
Dimensions
Dimensions
