Necromeny (Parasitology 🧬)
Necromeny is a symbiotic relationship where an animal infects a host and waits inside its body until its death, at which point it develops and completes its life-cycle on the cadaver, feeding on the decaying matter and the subsequent bacterial growth. As the necromenic animal benefits from the relationship while the host is unharmed, it is an example of commensal...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necromeny
#Necromeny #Ecology #Parasitism #Parasitology #DiseaseEcology
Ecological effects of biodiversity (Biodiversity 🦗)
The diversity of species and genes in ecological communities affects the functioning of these communities. These ecological effects of biodiversity in turn are affected by both climate change through enhanced greenhouse gases, aerosols and loss of land cover, and ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_effects_of_biodiversity
#EcologicalEffectsOfBiodiversity #Habitat #Biodiversity #DiseaseEcology #CommunityEcology #EcologicalRestoration
Necromeny (Parasitology 🧬)
Necromeny is a symbiotic relationship where an animal infects a host and waits inside its body until its death, at which point it develops and completes its life-cycle on the cadaver, feeding on the decaying matter and the subsequent bacterial growth. As the necromenic animal benefits from the relationship while the host is unharmed, it is an example of commensal...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necromeny
#Necromeny #Ecology #Parasitism #Parasitology #DiseaseEcology
Variable pathogen exposure history contributes to individual immune differences, complicating epidemic forecasting. This Essay argues that experimental disease ecology can offer powerful tools and approaches to better understand and predict the epidemiological consequences of variable infection history.
Necromeny (Ecology 🏞️)
Necromeny is a symbiotic relationship where an animal infects a host and waits inside its body until its death, at which point it develops and completes its life-cycle on the cadaver, feeding on the decaying matter and the subsequent bacterial growth. As the necromenic animal benefits from the relationship while the host is unharmed, it is an example of commensalism....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necromeny
#Necromeny #Ecology #Parasitism #Parasitology #DiseaseEcology
Paper by me (+ Cooper & Rott) on Tick hazard in the South Downs National Park (UK) + how to control without reducing ecosystem health. Free-to-read in @PeerJ at: https://peerj.com/articles/17483
Funders: @britishdeersoc , @BritishEcolSoc
ABSTRACT:
Background. #SouthDowns National Park (SDNP) is UK’s most visited #NationalPark, and a focus of tick-borne #Lymedisease. UK's first presumed locally acquired cases of #TBE and #babesiosis were recorded in 2019–20. The #SouthDownsNationalPark aims to conserve wildlife and encourage recreation, so interventions are needed that reduce hazard without negatively affecting ecosystem health. To be successful these require knowledge of site hazards.
Methods. British Deer Society members submitted ticks removed from deer. Key potential intervention sites were selected and six 50 m2 transects drag-sampled per site (mostly twice yearly for 2 years). #Ticks were identified in-lab (sex, life stage, species), hazard measured as tick presence, density of ticks (all life stages, DOT), and density of nymphs (DON). Sites and habitat types were analysed for association with hazard. Distribution was mapped by combining our results with records from five other sources.
Results. A total of 87 Ixodes ricinus (all but one adults, 82% F) were removed from 14 deer (10 Dama dama; three Capreolus capreolus; one not recorded; tick burden, 1–35) at 12 locations (commonly woodland). Five key potential intervention sites were identified and drag-sampled 2015–16, collecting 623 ticks (238 on-transects): 53.8% nymphs, 42.5% larvae, 3.7% adults (13 M, 10 F). Ticks were present on-transects at all sites: I. ricinus at three (The Mens (TM); Queen Elizabeth Country Park (QECP); Cowdray Estate (CE)), Haemaphysalis punctata at two (Seven Sisters Country Park (SSCP); Ditchling Beacon Nature Reserve (DBNR)). TM had the highest DOT at 30/300 m2 (DON = 30/300 m2), followed by QECP 22/300 m2 (12/300 m2), CE 8/300 m2 (6/300 m2), and SSCP 1/300 m2 (1/300 m2). For I. ricinus, nymphs predominated in spring, larvae in the second half of summer and early autumn. The overall ranking of site hazard held for DON and DOT from both seasonal sampling periods. DBNR was sampled 2016 only (one adult H. punctata collected). Woodland had significantly greater hazard than downland, but ticks were present at all downland sites. I. ricinus has been identified in 33/37 of SDNPs 10 km2 grid squares, Ixodes hexagonus 10/37, H. punctata 7/37, Dermacentor reticulatus 1/37.
Conclusions. Mapping shows tick hazard broadly distributed across SDNP. I. ricinus was most common, but H. punctata’s seeming range expansion is concerning. Recommendations: management of small heavily visited high hazard plots (QECP); post-visit precaution signage (all sites); repellent impregnated clothing for deerstalkers; flock trials to control H. punctata (SSCP, DBNR). Further research at TM may contribute to knowledge on ecological dynamics underlying infection density and predator re-introduction/protection as public health interventions. #EcologicalResearch on H. punctata would aid control. SDNP Authority is ideally placed to link and champion policies to reduce hazard, whilst avoiding or reducing conflict between public health and ecosystem health.
#OneHealth #PlanetaryHealth #TickAware #DiseaseEcology #ConservationBiology #Acarology #MedicalEntomology #parasites #parasitology #lymedisease
Background South Downs National Park (SDNP) is UK’s most visited National Park, and a focus of tick-borne Lyme disease. The first presumed UK autochthonous cases of tick-borne encephalitis and babesiosis were recorded in 2019–20. SDNP aims to conserve wildlife and encourage recreation, so interventions are needed that reduce hazard without negatively affecting ecosystem health. To be successful these require knowledge of site hazards. Methods British Deer Society members submitted ticks removed from deer. Key potential intervention sites were selected and six 50 m2 transects drag-sampled per site (mostly twice yearly for 2 years). Ticks were identified in-lab (sex, life stage, species), hazard measured as tick presence, density of ticks (all life stages, DOT), and density of nymphs (DON). Sites and habitat types were analysed for association with hazard. Distribution was mapped by combining our results with records from five other sources. Results A total of 87 Ixodes ricinus (all but one adults, 82% F) were removed from 14 deer (10 Dama dama; three Capreolus capreolus; one not recorded; tick burden, 1–35) at 12 locations (commonly woodland). Five key potential intervention sites were identified and drag-sampled 2015–16, collecting 623 ticks (238 on-transects): 53.8% nymphs, 42.5% larvae, 3.7% adults (13 M, 10 F). Ticks were present on-transects at all sites: I. ricinus at three (The Mens (TM); Queen Elizabeth Country Park (QECP); Cowdray Estate (CE)), Haemaphysalis punctata at two (Seven Sisters Country Park (SSCP); Ditchling Beacon Nature Reserve (DBNR)). TM had the highest DOT at 30/300 m2 (DON = 30/300 m2), followed by QECP 22/300 m2 (12/300 m2), CE 8/300 m2 (6/300 m2), and SSCP 1/300 m2 (1/300 m2). For I. ricinus, nymphs predominated in spring, larvae in the second half of summer and early autumn. The overall ranking of site hazard held for DON and DOT from both seasonal sampling periods. DBNR was sampled 2016 only (one adult H. punctata collected). Woodland had significantly greater hazard than downland, but ticks were present at all downland sites. I. ricinus has been identified in 33/37 of SDNPs 10 km2 grid squares, Ixodes hexagonus 10/37, H. punctata 7/37, Dermacentor reticulatus 1/37. Conclusions Mapping shows tick hazard broadly distributed across SDNP. I. ricinus was most common, but H. punctata’s seeming range expansion is concerning. Recommendations: management of small heavily visited high hazard plots (QECP); post-visit precaution signage (all sites); repellent impregnated clothing for deerstalkers; flock trials to control H. punctata (SSCP, DBNR). Further research at TM may contribute to knowledge on ecological dynamics underlying infection density and predator re-introduction/protection as public health interventions. Ecological research on H. punctata would aid control. SDNP Authority is ideally placed to link and champion policies to reduce hazard, whilst avoiding or reducing conflict between public health and ecosystem health.
Parasitism (Parasitology 🧬)
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson characterised parasites as "predators that eat prey in units of less than one". Parasites include single-celled protozoans such as the agent...
Introduction to special issue: Advancing disease ecology through eDNA monitoring of infectious agents
Scientific Frontline
Planetary Ecologist
PLOS Biology
Dr J Middleton FRGS MFPH MRSB
Vermont Citizen Scientist
Planetary Ecologist
Teresita Porter 🙋🏻‍♀️