22nd Annual Student Research Conference
Hotspots in Amblyomma americanum Densities
Nathaniel J. Civili
Dr. Stephanie Fore, Dr. Laura Fielden, and Dr. Hyun-Joo Kim, Faculty Mentors
Off host tick distribution is likely dependant on many factors including host densities and protective cover. The purpose of this study is to determine if distribution of Amblyomma americanum individuals is random. Ticks were collected every other week from March to November 2007 (18 total samples) in two sampling sites; an old field and a woodland. At each site, eight drag and eight bait samples were collected. In the field site a total of 73, 224, 578 adult, nymph and larvae were collected, respectively, compared to 343, 337 and 7892 in the woodland. Preliminary data suggests that clumping occurred but what location was a hotspot depended on site, method and life stage. Although a clumped distribution was expected for larvae due to limited dispersal opportunities, the hot zones observed in other life stages suggest environmental variables may drive distribution.
Keywords: Amblyomma americanum , Hotspots, Distribution, Clumping, Ticks, Adult, Nymph, Larvae
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 10-11
Location: PML
Time: 4:15