Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes
Abstract Background The castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits infectious diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, which constitutes an important ecosystem disservice. Despite many local studies, a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of tick abundance at the continental scale is still lack...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2017-09-01
|
| Series: | BMC Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-017-0141-0 |
| _version_ | 1831772395837325312 |
|---|---|
| author | Steffen Ehrmann Jaan Liira Stefanie Gärtner Karin Hansen Jörg Brunet Sara A. O. Cousins Marc Deconchat Guillaume Decocq Pieter De Frenne Pallieter De Smedt Martin Diekmann Emilie Gallet-Moron Annette Kolb Jonathan Lenoir Jessica Lindgren Tobias Naaf Taavi Paal Alicia Valdés Kris Verheyen Monika Wulf Michael Scherer-Lorenzen |
| author_facet | Steffen Ehrmann Jaan Liira Stefanie Gärtner Karin Hansen Jörg Brunet Sara A. O. Cousins Marc Deconchat Guillaume Decocq Pieter De Frenne Pallieter De Smedt Martin Diekmann Emilie Gallet-Moron Annette Kolb Jonathan Lenoir Jessica Lindgren Tobias Naaf Taavi Paal Alicia Valdés Kris Verheyen Monika Wulf Michael Scherer-Lorenzen |
| author_sort | Steffen Ehrmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits infectious diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, which constitutes an important ecosystem disservice. Despite many local studies, a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of tick abundance at the continental scale is still lacking. We analyze a large set of environmental factors as potential drivers of I. ricinus abundance. Our multi-scale study was carried out in deciduous forest fragments dispersed within two contrasting rural landscapes of eight regions, along a macroclimatic gradient stretching from southern France to central Sweden and Estonia. We surveyed the abundance of I. ricinus, plant community composition, forest structure and soil properties and compiled data on landscape structure, macroclimate and habitat properties. We used linear mixed models to analyze patterns and derived the relative importance of the significant drivers. Results Many drivers had, on their own, either a moderate or small explanatory value for the abundance of I. ricinus, but combined they explained a substantial part of variation. This emphasizes the complex ecology of I. ricinus and the relevance of environmental factors for tick abundance. Macroclimate only explained a small fraction of variation, while properties of macro- and microhabitat, which buffer macroclimate, had a considerable impact on tick abundance. The amount of forest and the composition of the surrounding rural landscape were additionally important drivers of tick abundance. Functional (dispersules) and structural (density of tree and shrub layers) properties of the habitat patch played an important role. Various diversity metrics had only a small relative importance. Ontogenetic tick stages showed pronounced differences in their response. The abundance of nymphs and adults is explained by the preceding stage with a positive relationship, indicating a cumulative effect of drivers. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the ecosystem disservices of tick-borne diseases, via the abundance of ticks, strongly depends on habitat properties and thus on how humans manage ecosystems from the scale of the microhabitat to the landscape. This study stresses the need to further evaluate the interaction between climate change and ecosystem management on I. ricinus abundance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T08:16:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aeb639408d5c451f891aefa28ccaa4e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6785 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T08:16:47Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-aeb639408d5c451f891aefa28ccaa4e22022-12-21T18:32:52ZengBMCBMC Ecology1472-67852017-09-0117111410.1186/s12898-017-0141-0Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapesSteffen Ehrmann0Jaan Liira1Stefanie Gärtner2Karin Hansen3Jörg Brunet4Sara A. O. Cousins5Marc Deconchat6Guillaume Decocq7Pieter De Frenne8Pallieter De Smedt9Martin Diekmann10Emilie Gallet-Moron11Annette Kolb12Jonathan Lenoir13Jessica Lindgren14Tobias Naaf15Taavi Paal16Alicia Valdés17Kris Verheyen18Monika Wulf19Michael Scherer-Lorenzen20Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of FreiburgInstitute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuBlack Forest National ParkNatural Resources & Environmental Effects, IVL Swedish Environmental Research InstituteSouthern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesLandscape Ecology, Department of Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm UniversityDYNAFOR, Université de Toulouse, INRA, INPTUR “Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés” (EDYSAN, FRE 3498 CNRS-UPJV), Jules Verne University of PicardieForest & Nature Lab, Ghent UniversityForest & Nature Lab, Ghent UniversityFaculty of Biology/Chemistry (FB 02), Institute of Ecology, Vegetation Ecology and Conservation Biology, University of BremenUR “Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés” (EDYSAN, FRE 3498 CNRS-UPJV), Jules Verne University of PicardieFaculty of Biology/Chemistry (FB 02), Institute of Ecology, Vegetation Ecology and Conservation Biology, University of BremenUR “Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés” (EDYSAN, FRE 3498 CNRS-UPJV), Jules Verne University of PicardieLandscape Ecology, Department of Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm UniversityInstitute of Land Use Systems, Leibniz-ZALF (e.V.)Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuUR “Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés” (EDYSAN, FRE 3498 CNRS-UPJV), Jules Verne University of PicardieForest & Nature Lab, Ghent UniversityInstitute of Land Use Systems, Leibniz-ZALF (e.V.)Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of FreiburgAbstract Background The castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits infectious diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, which constitutes an important ecosystem disservice. Despite many local studies, a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of tick abundance at the continental scale is still lacking. We analyze a large set of environmental factors as potential drivers of I. ricinus abundance. Our multi-scale study was carried out in deciduous forest fragments dispersed within two contrasting rural landscapes of eight regions, along a macroclimatic gradient stretching from southern France to central Sweden and Estonia. We surveyed the abundance of I. ricinus, plant community composition, forest structure and soil properties and compiled data on landscape structure, macroclimate and habitat properties. We used linear mixed models to analyze patterns and derived the relative importance of the significant drivers. Results Many drivers had, on their own, either a moderate or small explanatory value for the abundance of I. ricinus, but combined they explained a substantial part of variation. This emphasizes the complex ecology of I. ricinus and the relevance of environmental factors for tick abundance. Macroclimate only explained a small fraction of variation, while properties of macro- and microhabitat, which buffer macroclimate, had a considerable impact on tick abundance. The amount of forest and the composition of the surrounding rural landscape were additionally important drivers of tick abundance. Functional (dispersules) and structural (density of tree and shrub layers) properties of the habitat patch played an important role. Various diversity metrics had only a small relative importance. Ontogenetic tick stages showed pronounced differences in their response. The abundance of nymphs and adults is explained by the preceding stage with a positive relationship, indicating a cumulative effect of drivers. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the ecosystem disservices of tick-borne diseases, via the abundance of ticks, strongly depends on habitat properties and thus on how humans manage ecosystems from the scale of the microhabitat to the landscape. This study stresses the need to further evaluate the interaction between climate change and ecosystem management on I. ricinus abundance.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-017-0141-0Climate gradientEcological nicheEcosystem disserviceFunctional ecologyHabitat compositionLandscape composition |
| spellingShingle | Steffen Ehrmann Jaan Liira Stefanie Gärtner Karin Hansen Jörg Brunet Sara A. O. Cousins Marc Deconchat Guillaume Decocq Pieter De Frenne Pallieter De Smedt Martin Diekmann Emilie Gallet-Moron Annette Kolb Jonathan Lenoir Jessica Lindgren Tobias Naaf Taavi Paal Alicia Valdés Kris Verheyen Monika Wulf Michael Scherer-Lorenzen Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes BMC Ecology Climate gradient Ecological niche Ecosystem disservice Functional ecology Habitat composition Landscape composition |
| title | Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes |
| title_full | Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes |
| title_short | Environmental drivers of Ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes |
| title_sort | environmental drivers of ixodes ricinus abundance in forest fragments of rural european landscapes |
| topic | Climate gradient Ecological niche Ecosystem disservice Functional ecology Habitat composition Landscape composition |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12898-017-0141-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT steffenehrmann environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT jaanliira environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT stefaniegartner environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT karinhansen environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT jorgbrunet environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT saraaocousins environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT marcdeconchat environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT guillaumedecocq environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT pieterdefrenne environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT pallieterdesmedt environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT martindiekmann environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT emiliegalletmoron environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT annettekolb environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT jonathanlenoir environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT jessicalindgren environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT tobiasnaaf environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT taavipaal environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT aliciavaldes environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT krisverheyen environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT monikawulf environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes AT michaelschererlorenzen environmentaldriversofixodesricinusabundanceinforestfragmentsofruraleuropeanlandscapes |