The Phenology of Ticks and the Effects of Long-Term Prescribed Burning on Tick Population Dynamics in Southwestern Georgia and Northwestern Florida

Gleim, Elizabeth R.; Conner, L. Mike; Berghaus, Roy D.; Levin, Michael; Zemtsova, Galina E.; Yabsley, Michael J.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0112174

Cited by 53 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…For example, occurrences of Lyme disease are reaching epidemic proportions; controlled burning is an effective means to control disease‐carrying tick populations (Gleim et al. ). Meat production requires unprecedented inputs to meet demand; fire is being used effectively to improve grazing production (Duvall and Whitaker ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wave of fire: an anthropogenic signal in historical fire regimes across central Pennsylvania, USA

et al. 2018

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Increasingly detailed records of long‐term fire regime characteristics are needed to test ecological concepts and inform natural resource management and policymaking. We reconstructed and analyzed twelve 350+ yr‐long fire scar records developed from 2612 tree‐ring dated fire scars on 432 living and dead pine (Pinus pungens, Pinus rigida, Pinus resinosa, Pinus echinata) trees from across central Pennsylvania. We used multiple spatial and time series analysis methods to quantify fire regime characteristics (frequency, seasonality, percentages of trees scarred, extent) and fire–climate–human associations. Prior to the 20th‐century fire suppression, fire regimes at the majority of sites consisted of frequent, low‐to‐moderate severity, dormant season fires. Fires were often regionally synchronous when preceded by significantly dry years. Using documentary archives, we provide the first description of a “wave of fire”—an anthropogenic signal in fire frequency that progressively moved across the region. This “wave of fire” reflects a changing progression of anthropogenic fire regimes from Native American occupation and depopulation, to Euro‐American settlement, to industrialization and declining fire use up to the 20th century era of fire suppression. The wave of fire provides a new perspective on historical and modern fire regime dynamics and identifies socio‐ecological impacts since North American colonization. Because the anthropogenic wave of fire exists at sites across North America, we emphasize the need for a broader determination of its geographic prevalence and variability as such determinations could influence historical ecology interpretations and perspectives on past and future roles of humans in managing ecosystems with fire.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wave of fire: an anthropogenic signal in historical fire regimes across central Pennsylvania, USA

et al. 2018

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“…Two woodland studies in Connecticut showed that removal of the invasive Japanese barberry ( Berberis thunbergii de Candolle) shrub, which previously was found to be associated with elevated abundance of host-seeking I. scapularis in Maine (Lubelczyk et al 2004, Elias et al 2006), could substantially reduce the abundance of host-seeking I. scapularis adults as well as B. burgdorferi -infected adults (Williams et al 2009, Williams and Ward 2010). Other studies have demonstrated strong negative impacts of burning or mowing on the abundance of host-seeking I. scapularis adults (Rogers 1953, Wilson 1986, Gleim et al 2014). …”

Section: Suppression Of I Scapularis and B Burgdorferi With A Singlmentioning

confidence: 98%

Evidence for Personal Protective Measures to Reduce Human Contact With Blacklegged Ticks and for Environmentally Based Control Methods to Suppress Host-Seeking Blacklegged Ticks and Reduce Infection with Lyme Disease Spirochetes in Tick Vectors and Rodent Reservoirs

2016

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In the 1980s, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, and rodents were recognized as the principal vector and reservoir hosts of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in the eastern United States, and deer were incriminated as principal hosts for I. scapularis adults. These realizations led to pioneering studies aiming to reduce the risk for transmission of B. burgdorferi to humans by attacking host-seeking ticks with acaricides, interrupting the enzootic transmission cycle by killing immatures infesting rodent reservoirs by means of acaricide-treated nesting material, or reducing deer abundance to suppress tick numbers. We review the progress over the past three decades in the fields of: 1) prevention of human–tick contact with repellents and permethrin-treated clothing, and 2) suppression of I. scapularis and disruption of enzootic B. burgdorferi transmission with environmentally based control methods. Personal protective measures include synthetic and natural product-based repellents that can be applied to skin and clothing, permethrin sprays for clothing and gear, and permethrin-treated clothing. A wide variety of approaches and products to suppress I. scapularis or disrupt enzootic B. burgdorferi transmission have emerged and been evaluated in field trials. Application of synthetic chemical acaricides is a robust method to suppress host-seeking I. scapularis ticks within a treated area for at least 6–8 wk. Natural product-based acaricides or entomopathogenic fungi have emerged as alternatives to kill host-seeking ticks for homeowners who are unwilling to use synthetic chemical acaricides. However, as compared with synthetic chemical acaricides, these approaches appear less robust in terms of both their killing efficacy and persistence. Use of rodent-targeted topical acaricides represents an alternative for homeowners opposed to open distribution of acaricides to the ground and vegetation on their properties. This host-targeted approach also provides the benefit of the intervention impacting the entire rodent home range. Rodent-targeted oral vaccines against B. burgdorferi and a rodent-targeted antibiotic bait have been evaluated in laboratory and field trials but are not yet commercially available. Targeting of deer—via deer reduction or treatment of deer with topical acaricides—can provide area-wide suppression of host-seeking I. scapularis. These two deer-targeted approaches combine great potential for protection that impacts the entire landscape with severe problems relating to public acceptance or implementation logistics. Integrated use of two or more methods has unfortunately been evaluated in very few published studies, but additional field evaluations of integrated tick and pathogen strategies are underway.

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“…In the southeastern United States, I. scapularis nymphs are less likely to quest openly and studies on host-seeking ticks have yielded too few nymphs to be informative with regards to phenology (Cilek and Olson 2000, Diuk-Wasser et al 2006, Goddard and Piesman 2006, Goltz and Goddard 2013, Gleim et al 2014). Early studies based on museum lizard specimens or field-collected lizards showed that nymphs can be collected from lizards in the Southeast from March–September (Rogers 1953, Apperson et al 1993, Oliver et al 1993, Lavender and Oliver 1996), but most commonly from April–May (Oliver et al 1993).…”

Section: Climate Variation Linkages With the Seasonal Pattern Of Quesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linkages of Weather and Climate WithIxodes scapularisandIxodes pacificus(Acari: Ixodidae), Enzootic Transmission ofBorrelia burgdorferi, and Lyme Disease in North America

et al. 2015

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Lyme disease has increased both in incidence and geographic extent in the United States and Canada over the past two decades. One of the underlying causes is changes during the same time period in the distribution and abundance of the primary vectors: Ixodes scapularis Say and Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls in eastern and western North America, respectively. Aside from short periods of time when they are feeding on hosts, these ticks exist in the environment where temperature and relative humidity directly affect their development, survival, and host-seeking behavior. Other important factors that strongly influence tick abundance as well as the proportion of ticks infected with the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, include the abundance of hosts for the ticks and the capacity of tick hosts to serve as B. burgdorferi reservoirs. Here, we explore the linkages between climate variation and: 1) duration of the seasonal period and the timing of peak activity; 2) geographic tick distributions and local abundance; 3) enzootic B. burgdorferi transmission cycles; and 4) Lyme disease cases. We conclude that meteorological variables are most influential in determining host-seeking phenology and development, but, while remaining important cofactors, additional variables become critical when exploring geographic distribution and local abundance of ticks, enzootic transmission of B. burgdorferi, and Lyme disease case occurrence. Finally, we review climate change-driven projections for future impact on vector ticks and Lyme disease and discuss knowledge gaps and research needs.

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The Phenology of Ticks and the Effects of Long-Term Prescribed Burning on Tick Population Dynamics in Southwestern Georgia and Northwestern Florida

Cited by 53 publications

References 55 publications

Wave of fire: an anthropogenic signal in historical fire regimes across central Pennsylvania, USA

Wave of fire: an anthropogenic signal in historical fire regimes across central Pennsylvania, USA

Evidence for Personal Protective Measures to Reduce Human Contact With Blacklegged Ticks and for Environmentally Based Control Methods to Suppress Host-Seeking Blacklegged Ticks and Reduce Infection with Lyme Disease Spirochetes in Tick Vectors and Rodent Reservoirs

Linkages of Weather and Climate WithIxodes scapularisandIxodes pacificus(Acari: Ixodidae), Enzootic Transmission ofBorrelia burgdorferi, and Lyme Disease in North America

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