Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples
Ensembles of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) represent the geographic ranges of pathogen vectors by combining alternative analytical approaches and merging information on vector occurrences with more extensive environmental data. Biased collection data impact SDMs, regardless of the target specie...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/10/2/32 |
| _version_ | 1797488184746049536 |
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| author | William H. Kessler Carrie De Jesus Samantha M. Wisely Gregory E. Glass |
| author_facet | William H. Kessler Carrie De Jesus Samantha M. Wisely Gregory E. Glass |
| author_sort | William H. Kessler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ensembles of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) represent the geographic ranges of pathogen vectors by combining alternative analytical approaches and merging information on vector occurrences with more extensive environmental data. Biased collection data impact SDMs, regardless of the target species, but no studies have compared the differences in the distributions predicted by the ensemble models when different sampling frameworks are used for the same species. We compared Ensemble SDMs for two important Ixodid tick vectors, <i>Amblyomma americanum</i> and <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in mainland Florida, USA, when inputs were either convenience samples of ticks, or collections obtained using the standard protocols promulgated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Ensemble SDMs for the convenience samples and standard surveys showed only a slight agreement (Kappa = 0.060, <i>A. americanum</i>; 0.053, I. scapularis). Convenience sample SDMs indicated <i>A. americanum</i> and <i>I. scapularis</i> should be absent from nearly one third (34.5% and 30.9%, respectively) of the state where standard surveys predicted the highest likelihood of occurrence. Ensemble models from standard surveys predicted 81.4% and 72.5% (<i>A. americanum</i> and <i>I. scapularis</i>) of convenience sample sites. Omission errors by standard survey SDMs of the convenience collections were associated almost exclusively with either adjacency to at least one SDM, or errors in geocoding algorithms that failed to correctly locate geographic locations of convenience samples. These errors emphasize commonly overlooked needs to explicitly evaluate and improve data quality for arthropod survey data that are applied to spatial models. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:59:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-832e3941c4f8475c87eeac34183f3ac3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9721 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:59:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-832e3941c4f8475c87eeac34183f3ac32023-11-23T16:19:37ZengMDPI AGDiseases2079-97212022-06-011023210.3390/diseases10020032Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience SamplesWilliam H. Kessler0Carrie De Jesus1Samantha M. Wisely2Gregory E. Glass3Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USADepartment of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAEmerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAEmerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAEnsembles of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) represent the geographic ranges of pathogen vectors by combining alternative analytical approaches and merging information on vector occurrences with more extensive environmental data. Biased collection data impact SDMs, regardless of the target species, but no studies have compared the differences in the distributions predicted by the ensemble models when different sampling frameworks are used for the same species. We compared Ensemble SDMs for two important Ixodid tick vectors, <i>Amblyomma americanum</i> and <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> in mainland Florida, USA, when inputs were either convenience samples of ticks, or collections obtained using the standard protocols promulgated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Ensemble SDMs for the convenience samples and standard surveys showed only a slight agreement (Kappa = 0.060, <i>A. americanum</i>; 0.053, I. scapularis). Convenience sample SDMs indicated <i>A. americanum</i> and <i>I. scapularis</i> should be absent from nearly one third (34.5% and 30.9%, respectively) of the state where standard surveys predicted the highest likelihood of occurrence. Ensemble models from standard surveys predicted 81.4% and 72.5% (<i>A. americanum</i> and <i>I. scapularis</i>) of convenience sample sites. Omission errors by standard survey SDMs of the convenience collections were associated almost exclusively with either adjacency to at least one SDM, or errors in geocoding algorithms that failed to correctly locate geographic locations of convenience samples. These errors emphasize commonly overlooked needs to explicitly evaluate and improve data quality for arthropod survey data that are applied to spatial models.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/10/2/32ensemble modelsSpecies Distribution Models SDMsticks<i>Amblyomma americanum</i><i>Ixodes scapularis</i>Florida |
| spellingShingle | William H. Kessler Carrie De Jesus Samantha M. Wisely Gregory E. Glass Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples Diseases ensemble models Species Distribution Models SDMs ticks <i>Amblyomma americanum</i> <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> Florida |
| title | Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples |
| title_full | Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples |
| title_fullStr | Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples |
| title_short | Ensemble Models for Tick Vectors: Standard Surveys Compared with Convenience Samples |
| title_sort | ensemble models for tick vectors standard surveys compared with convenience samples |
| topic | ensemble models Species Distribution Models SDMs ticks <i>Amblyomma americanum</i> <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> Florida |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/10/2/32 |
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