14. A resource-based habitat concept for tick-borne diseases

Abstract

Because tick and tick-borne disease distributions are so tightly linked to the environment, a robust conceptual background is necessary to build useful empirical and process-based models and to interpret results coherently with pathogen, vector and host ecology. This is especially pressing when considering that tick-borne pathogen circulation is a complex ecological system that has been studied in a great diversity of ways, producing results that may appear challenging to synthesise. We propose that a resource-based habitat concept can provide helpful leads to collect data, elaborate models and interpret and assemble upcoming and existing results. Two elements in the existing knowledge and its gaps, and in the current ecological context encourage us to explore such a conceptual framework. First, it is rare in the current practice to focus on the ecology of the pathogen, whereas this may be a key element in understanding the role of biodiversity in pathogen circulation. Second, the role of non-classical tick habitats (e.g. forest encroached areas and meadows) is getting more and more often highlighted, indicating that summarising tick habitat, or pathogen habitat, by a single vegetation class is not suitable. We revisit two simulation models (a cellular automata and an agent-based model) that focus on infected ticks and on tick population dynamics. In these models, the potential of a resource-based habitat concept can be highlighted. We then discuss how to implement this concept for studying the ecology of tickborne pathogens.

Looking for Ticks from Space: Using Remotely Sensed Spectral Diversity to Assess Amblyomma and Hyalomma Tick Abundance

“…However, heterogeneous landscapes like those encountered in Benin suffer from oversimplification when investigated through land cover classes [35]. Several studies (e.g., [77]) have suggested that heterogeneous landscapes have a role in shaping tick distribution. However, mixed/mosaic environments represent habitat where various host species can live, having an ecological value that cannot be identified using a categorical or single pixel approach.…”

Using mechanistic models to highlight research priorities for tick-borne zoonotic diseases: Improving our understanding of the ecology and maintenance of Kyasanur Forest Disease in India

“…However, they have rarely been explicitly linked to local management strategies. In their Resource-Based Habitat Concept for vector-borne diseases, Hartemink et al [ 38 ] advocated for integrating functional resource use of each host, pathogen and vector species, linked to particular habitats across landscape mosaics into spatial predictive frameworks (see also Vanwambeke et al [ 39 ]). Though some models have incorporated host habitat use and tick-host interactions, these are largely confined to temperate, resource-rich settings and systems such as Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis in the United States and Europe [ 40 – 42 ].…”

Using mechanistic models to highlight research priorities for tick-borne zoonotic diseases: Improving our understanding of the ecology and maintenance of Kyasanur Forest Disease in India

“…Models have been further applied to explore the effects of vector demography, aggregation and host biodiversity on tickborne pathogen persistence and control in different settings (Norman et al, 2016;Perkins et al, 2003;Rosà & Pugliese, 2007) though have been rarely explicitly linked to local management strategies. In their Resource-Based Habitat Concept for vector-borne diseases, ( Hartemink et al, 2015) advocated for integrating functional resource use of each host, pathogen and vector species, linked to particular habitats across landscape mosaics into spatial predictive frameworks (see also (Vanwambeke et al, 2016) ). Though some models have considered the impacts of variable host habitat use and tick-host interactions across space and time on transmission (Jones et al, 2011;Li et al, 2016Li et al, , 2019, these are largely confined to temperate, resource-rich settings and systems such as Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis in the United States and Europe.…”