Patterns of host and flea communities along an elevational gradient in Colorado

Maher, Sean P.; Timm, Robert M.

doi:10.1139/cjz-2013-0254

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 51 publications

(55 reference statements)

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“…In the Western Carpathians, species richness declined among small mammals between 944 and 1755 m elevation (Kamenišťák et al ., 2019). Analysing on a long elevational diversity gradient, Maher and Timm (2014) found the richness of flea species to decline as the number of small mammal host species fell, yet no elevation-connected patterns in richness were evident. Our analysed data show a drop in host species richness starting at a height of approximately 1000 m elevation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mahnert (1972) observed hosts in subalpine and alpine zones of the Alps with higher flea infestations than those at lower elevations. Maher and Timm (2014) examined in Colorado the impact of a short elevational gradient (approximately 900 m) on small mammals and their fleas. Although flea species richness was related to the number of host species, there was no evidence of a significant relationship between richness and elevation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity, distribution and changes in communities of fleas on small mammals along the elevational gradient from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathian Mountains

et al. 2020

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The causal chain of parasite–host–environment interactions, the so-called ‘dual parasite environment’, makes studying parasites more complicated than other wild organisms. A sample of 65 282 fleas taken from 336 different locations were analysed for changes in the distribution, diversity and compensation of flea communities found on small mammals along an elevational diversity gradient ranging from the Pannonian Plain to the base of the Carpathian summits. The fleas were divided into four groups, which were derived from changes in abundance and occurrence determined from cluster analysis. They are (1) flea species whose range seems unrelated to any change in elevation; (2) species that avoid high altitudes; (3) a group that can be subdivided into two types: (i) host-specific fleas and (ii) mountains species and (4) species opting for high altitudes on the gradient or preferring lower to middle elevations below 1000 m. Our study showed a unimodal pattern of flea diversity along the elevational gradient. It indicated that seasonality significantly conditions changes in biodiversity and patterns of spatial change along the elevational gradient, with specific flea species influenced by their host, while the impact of environmental conditions is more pronounced in opportunistic flea species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity, distribution and changes in communities of fleas on small mammals along the elevational gradient from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathian Mountains

et al. 2020

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“…The relationship between the host and the flea may play an important role in understanding the risk of transmission of flea‐borne diseases. Moreover, numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors have been shown to impact species diversity or abundance of fleas, including (1) host community diversity (Maher and Timm , Young et al. ), (2) host body condition (Eads et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), (4) precipitation (Young et al. , Eads and Hoogland , ), and (5) elevation (Maher and Timm ). Understanding the suite of factors that affect flea communities may help us better predict where and when both humans and wildlife are most at risk of infection by flea‐borne diseases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The relationship between the host and the flea may play an important role in understanding the risk of transmission of flea-borne diseases. Moreover, numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors have been shown to impact species diversity or abundance of fleas, including (1) host community diversity (Maher andTimm 2014, Young et al 2015), (2) host body condition (Eads et al 2016a), (3) host density (Krasnov et al 2002b, Stanko et al 2002, Young et al 2015, (4) precipitation (Young et al 2015, Eads and Hoogland 2016, and (5) elevation (Maher and Timm 2014). Understanding the suite of factors that affect flea communities may help us better predict where and when both humans and wildlife are most at risk of infection by flea-borne diseases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid

2020

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For vector‐borne diseases, the abundance and competency of different vector species and their host preferences will impact the transfer of pathogens among hosts. Sylvatic plague is a lethal disease caused by the primarily flea‐borne bacterium Yersinia pestis. Sylvatic plague was introduced into the western United States in the early 1900s and impacts many species of rodents. Plague may be suppressing populations of the threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) if a competent flea community is allowing plague to be maintained within the few extant sites that support this rare ground squirrel. We collected fleas from four species of sympatric rodents in central Idaho: northern Idaho ground squirrels, Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), yellow‐pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus), and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). We evaluated which flea species were present and whether fleas were shared among the rodent community. We documented seven species of fleas among 3356 fleas collected from the four host species of rodents, and all seven species of fleas are known vectors of plague. Three of the seven flea species were detected on all four rodent species, demonstrating potential for spillover of plague (bridge vectors) in the rodent community. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate which abiotic and biotic factors influence flea abundance (total number of fleas, regardless of flea species, on each individual host of the four rodent host species). Factors that impacted flea abundance varied among the four host species, but flea abundance: (1) changed over summer depending on host species, (2) was greater on males, and (3) was impacted by summer and winter precipitation depending on host species. Our results suggest this diverse flea community has the capacity to transfer Y. pestis among populations of the four rodents if Y. pestis is present. Furthermore, the disease may be more likely to persist in some locations than others, those that have higher flea abundances, more sympatric hosts, or optimal conditions for fleas, and such high‐risk sites can be identified based on their abiotic and biotic factors.

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Vector-Borne Pathogens in Ectoparasites Collected from High-Elevation Pika Populations

et al. 2020

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Patterns of host and flea communities along an elevational gradient in Colorado

Cited by 7 publications

References 51 publications

Diversity, distribution and changes in communities of fleas on small mammals along the elevational gradient from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathian Mountains

Diversity, distribution and changes in communities of fleas on small mammals along the elevational gradient from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathian Mountains

Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid

Vector-Borne Pathogens in Ectoparasites Collected from High-Elevation Pika Populations

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