Understorey predicts the spatial distribution of Ixodes hirsti in South Australia

Oorebeek, Margot; Kleindorfer, Sonia

doi:10.1071/zo08050

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…First, ticks are sensitive to desiccation arising from low humidity and high temperatures (Perret et al 2000), and thus the urban heat island effect and other changes to urban climates (Collier 2006) may also contribute to reduced tick prevalence. Second, persistence of Ixodes ticks often requires the presence of vegetation understorey, and a lack of such vegetation in urban areas could partly explain their lower prevalence (Hubalek et al 2006, Oorebeek and Kleindorfer 2008). Finally, pesticide applications may also adversely impact urban tick populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of urbanisation on disease prevalence and age structure in blackbirdTurdus merulapopulations

Evans¹,

Gaston²,

Sharp³

et al. 2009

Oikos

105

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Despite increasing interest in urban ecology most attention has focussed on describing changes in assemblage composition and structure along urbanisation gradients, whilst relatively little research has focussed on the mechanisms behind these changes. Ecological theory predicts that alterations in biotic interactions are particularly likely to arise, especially with regard to disease risk. Here, we report on differences in prevalence of avian malaria and tick infection and intensity in 11 paired urban and rural blackbird Turdus merula populations from across the western Palearctic. We find large and consistent reductions in tick prevalence and intensity in urban areas. There are also large reductions in the prevalence of avian malaria in many, but not all, urban areas. The proportion of first year birds in urban populations is significantly lower than that in rural ones, and across the more natural rural sites southerly populations contain fewer first years than northern ones. These patterns are expected to arise if survival rates are higher in urban areas, and are negatively correlated with latitude.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of urbanisation on disease prevalence and age structure in blackbirdTurdus merulapopulations

Evans¹,

Gaston²,

Sharp³

et al. 2009

Oikos

105

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“…In nature, larval I. hirsti are generally collected from understorey vegetation with a modal height of 43 cm (Oorebeek and Kleindorfer 2008b). The vertical orientation of animals in response to environmental factors is known as strato-orientation (Jander 1975).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The distribution of I. hirsti seems to be associated with the presence of dense understorey vegetation (Oorebeek and Kleindorfer 2008b). Questing larvae were recovered from understorey with a modal height of 43 cm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

What attracts larval Ixodes hirsti (Acari: Ixodidae) to their host?

2008

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Ticks are extremely susceptible to desiccation when not on a host. Even though Ixodid ticks are capable of surviving extreme conditions, it is in the best interest of the tick to locate a host quickly. The aim of this study was to determine the host stimuli used by larval Ixodes hirsti for location of their passerine host. Additionally, we recorded the average questing height of larval ticks. We found that I. hirsti larvae were attracted to shade and heat, while they were unresponsive to host odor and CO2. The average questing height was 12.4 cm. Sensitivity to both shade and heat will aid larval I. hirsti in their ambush strategy to find a host. Preference for shaded environments and a low questing height favors the occurrence of larvae in high humidity environments. Such moist environments indirectly increase lifespan duration because of reduced movement for water sorption, and increase tick questing which is limited by vertical mobility. Additionally, larval ticks with a low questing height have a higher chance of encountering a ground foraging passerine host.

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“…The local modification of climate by abiotic and biotic factors produces a complex patchwork of microhabitats available to organisms. Species distributions are significantly affected by this fine-scale interplay of abiotic and biotic factors [ 16 , 23 , 24 ]. For example, the occurrence of smaller plants and arthropods is often dependent on shelter provided by plants [ 23 , 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microhabitats and canopy cover moderate high summer temperatures in a fragmented Mediterranean landscape

Keppel

Anderson

Williams³

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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Extreme heat events will become more frequent under anthropogenic climate change, especially in Mediterranean ecosystems. Microhabitats can considerably moderate (buffer) the effects of extreme weather events and hence facilitate the persistence of some components of the biodiversity. We investigate the microclimatic moderation provided by two important microhabitats (cavities formed by the leaves of the grass-tree Xanthorrhoea semiplana F.Muell., Xanthorrhoeaceae; and inside the leaf-litter) during the summer of 2015/16 on the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia. We placed microsensors inside and outside these microhabitats, as well as above the ground below the forest canopy. Grass-tree and leaf-litter microhabitats significantly buffered against high temperatures and low relative humidity, compared to ground-below-canopy sensors. There was no significant difference between grass-tree and leaf-litter temperatures: in both microhabitats, daily temperature variation was reduced, day temperatures were 1–5°C cooler, night temperatures were 0.5–3°C warmer, and maximum temperatures were up to 14.4°C lower, compared to ground-below-canopy sensors. Grass-tree and leaf-litter microhabitats moderated heat increase at an average rate of 0.24°C temperature per 1°C increase of ambient temperature in the ground-below-canopy microhabitat. The average daily variation in temperature was determined by the type (grass-tree and leaf-litter versus ground-below-canopy) of microhabitat (explaining 67%), the amount of canopy cover and the area of the vegetation fragment (together explaining almost 10% of the variation). Greater canopy cover increased the amount of microclimatic moderation provided, especially in the leaf-litter. Our study highlights the importance of microhabitats in moderating macroclimatic conditions. However, this moderating effect is currently not considered in species distribution modelling under anthropogenic climate change nor in the management of vegetation. This shortcoming will have to be addressed to obtain realistic forecasts of future species distributions and to achieve effective management of biodiversity.

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Understorey predicts the spatial distribution of Ixodes hirsti in South Australia

Cited by 8 publications

References 30 publications

Effects of urbanisation on disease prevalence and age structure in blackbirdTurdus merulapopulations

Effects of urbanisation on disease prevalence and age structure in blackbirdTurdus merulapopulations

What attracts larval Ixodes hirsti (Acari: Ixodidae) to their host?

Microhabitats and canopy cover moderate high summer temperatures in a fragmented Mediterranean landscape

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