title: Maximum Entropy-Based Ecological Niche Model and Bio-Climatic Determinants of Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) Niche.
abstract: The potential distribution of Amblyomma americanum ticks in Kansas was modeled using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approaches based on museum and field-collected species occurrence data. Various bioclimatic variables were used in the model as potentially influential factors affecting the A. americanum niche. Following reduction of dimensionality among predictor variables using principal components analysis, which revealed that the first two principal axes explain over 87% of the variance, the model indicated that suitable conditions for this medically important tick species cover a larger area in Kansas than currently believed. Soil moisture, temperature, and precipitation were highly correlated with the first two principal components and were influential factors in the A. americanum ecological niche. Assuming that the niche estimated in this study covers the occupied distribution, which needs to be further confirmed by systematic surveys, human exposure to this known disease vector may be considerably under-appreciated in the state.
authors.affiliation: 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Ram K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Raghavan
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Geography, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Douglas G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Goodin
authors.affiliation: 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Gregg A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Hanzlicek
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Entomology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zolnerowich
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Dryden
authors.affiliation: 1 Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University , Manhattan, Kansas.
authors.forename: Roman R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Ganta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D019277:Entropy; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000502:physiology*; D007615:Kansas; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011891:Rain; D012987:Soil; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Amblyomma americanum; Climate; Lone star tick; MaxEnt; Precipitation; Soil moisture; Temperature
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