scholarly journals Genetic melting pot in blacklegged ticks at the northern edge of their expansion front

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Talbot ◽  
Patrick A Leighton ◽  
Manisha A Kulkarni

Abstract Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are considered to be the main vector of Lyme disease in eastern North America. They may parasitize a wide range of bird and mammal hosts. Northward dispersal of blacklegged ticks has been attributed largely to movement of hosts to areas outside of the current range of the tick, in conjunction with climate change. To better understand the drivers of range expansion in the blacklegged tick, we need investigations of the genetic connectivity and differentiation of tick populations at a fine spatial scale using appropriate markers. In this study, we investigated genetic connectivity and differentiation in blacklegged ticks, in an area of putatively recent advance in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, using microsatellite markers. Our findings suggest patchy differentiation of alleles, no spatial pattern of genetic structure, and genetic subdivision within sites, which are consistent with the very limited evidence available near the leading edge of range expansion of blacklegged ticks into Canada. These findings are consistent with the prevailing hypothesis, drawn from a variety of fields of study, suggesting that migratory birds from a variety of regions may be bringing hitchhiking ticks northward into Canada.

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1780-1790 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. H. Ogden ◽  
L. R. Lindsay ◽  
K. Hanincová ◽  
I. K. Barker ◽  
M. Bigras-Poulin ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT During the spring in 2005 and 2006, 39,095 northward-migrating land birds were captured at 12 bird observatories in eastern Canada to investigate the role of migratory birds in northward range expansion of Lyme borreliosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and their tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. The prevalence of birds carrying I. scapularis ticks (mostly nymphs) was 0.35% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30 to 0.42), but a nested study by experienced observers suggested a more realistic infestation prevalence of 2.2% (95% CI = 1.18 to 3.73). The mean infestation intensity was 1.66 per bird. Overall, 15.4% of I. scapularis nymphs (95% CI = 10.7 to 20.9) were PCR positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, but only 8% (95% CI = 3.8 to 15.1) were positive when excluding nymphs collected at Long Point, Ontario, where B. burgdorferi is endemic. A wide range of ospC and rrs-rrl intergenic spacer alleles of B. burgdorferi were identified in infected ticks, including those associated with disseminated Lyme disease and alleles that are rare in the northeastern United States. Overall, 0.4% (95% CI = 0.03 to 0.41) of I. scapularis nymphs were PCR positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We estimate that migratory birds disperse 50 million to 175 million I. scapularis ticks across Canada each spring, implicating migratory birds as possibly significant in I. scapularis range expansion in Canada. However, infrequent larvae and the low infection prevalence in ticks carried by the birds raise questions as to how B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum become endemic in any tick populations established by bird-transported ticks.


2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3147-3167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Heffernan ◽  
◽  
Yijun Lou ◽  
Jianhong Wu ◽  

Mammalia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien André ◽  
Johan Michaux ◽  
Jorge Gaitan ◽  
Virginie Millien

Abstract Rapid climate change is currently altering species distribution ranges. Evaluating the long-term stress level in wild species undergoing range expansion may help better understanding how species cope with the changing environment. Here, we focused on the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), a widespread small mammal species in North-America whose distribution range is rapidly shifting northward. We evaluated long-term stress level in several populations of P. leucopus in Quebec (Canada), from the northern edge of the species distribution to more core populations in Southern Quebec. We first tested the hypothesis that populations at the range margin are under higher stress than more established populations in the southern region of our study area. We then compared four measures of long-term stress level to evaluate the congruence between these commonly used methods. We did not detect any significant geographical trend in stress level across our study populations of P. leucopus. Most notably, we found no clear congruence between the four measures of stress level we used, and conclude that these four commonly used methods are not equivalent, thereby not comparable across studies.


Author(s):  
Ranjan Saha ◽  
Jens Fridh ◽  
Torsten Fransson ◽  
Boris I. Mamaev ◽  
Mats Annerfeldt

An experimental study of the hub leading edge contouring using fillets is performed in an annular sector cascade to observe the influence of secondary flows and aerodynamic losses. The investigated vane is a three dimensional gas turbine guide vane (geometrically similar) with a mid-span aspect ratio of 0.46. The measurements are carried out on the leading edge fillet and baseline cases using pneumatic probes. Significant precautions have been taken to increase the accuracy of the measurements. The investigations are performed for a wide range of operating exit Mach numbers from 0.5 to 0.9 at a design inlet flow angle of 90°. Data presented include the loading, fields of total pressures, exit flow angles, radial flow angles, as well as profile and secondary losses. The vane has a small profile loss of approximately 2.5% and secondary loss of about 1.1%. Contour plots of vorticity distributions and velocity vectors indicate there is a small influence of the vortex-structure in endwall regions when the leading edge fillet is used. Compared to the baseline case the loss for the filleted case is lower up to 13% of span and higher from 13% to 20% of the span for a reference condition with Mach no. of 0.9. For the filleted case, there is a small increase of turning up to 15% of the span and then a small decrease up to 35% of the span. Hence, there are no significant influences on the losses and turning for the filleted case. Results lead to the conclusion that one cannot expect a noticeable effect of leading edge contouring on the aerodynamic efficiency for the investigated 1st stage vane of a modern gas turbine.


Author(s):  
Ranjan Saha ◽  
Boris I. Mamaev ◽  
Jens Fridh ◽  
Björn Laumert ◽  
Torsten H. Fransson

Experiments are conducted to investigate the effect of the pre-history in the aerodynamic performance of a three-dimensional nozzle guide vane with a hub leading edge contouring. The performance is determined with two pneumatic probes (5 hole and 3 hole) concentrating mainly on the endwall. The investigated vane is a geometrically similar gas turbine vane for the first stage with a reference exit Mach number of 0.9. Results are compared for the baseline and filleted cases for a wide range of operating exit Mach numbers from 0.5 to 0.9. The presented data includes loading distributions, loss distributions, fields of exit flow angles, velocity vector and vorticity contour, as well as, mass-averaged loss coefficients. The results show an insignificant influence of the leading edge fillet on the performance of the vane. However, the pre-history (inlet condition) affects significantly in the secondary loss. Additionally, an oil visualization technique yields information about the streamlines on the solid vane surface which allows identifying the locations of secondary flow vortices, stagnation line and saddle point.


Author(s):  
T E Zembsch ◽  
G M Bron ◽  
S M Paskewitz

Abstract Limited evidence suggests that the cervid parasite, Babesia odocoilei, is transovarially transmitted from adult female Ixodes scapularis Say to offspring. The prevalence of B. odocoilei in unfed larval I. scapularis and whether vertical transmission is crucial to pathogen maintenance are currently unknown. To investigate these questions, 275 unfed larvae from two Wisconsin counties were tested for B. odocoilei genetic material. Sixteen of 29 pools were positive for the parasite. The maximum likelihood estimation for overall larval infection prevalence was 7.8% (95% confidence interval: 4.7–12). This vertically acquired infection appears to be sustained transstadially in nymphal ticks the following year; however, our relatively small sample and replicate size warrants additional evaluation. Our study revealed further evidence of vertical transmission, a low and consistent infection prevalence in larvae, and the potential importance of vertical transmission in B. odocoilei maintenance.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-70
Author(s):  
David R. Steward

This chapter introduces the philosophical perspective for solving problems with the Analytic Element Method, organized within three common types of problems: gradient driven flow and conduction, waves, and deformation by forces. These problems are illustrated by classic, well known solutions to problems with a single isolated element, along with their extension to complicated interactions occurring amongst collections of elements. Analytic elements are presented within fields of study to demonstrate their capacity to represent important processes and properties across a broad range of applications, and to provide a template for transcending solutions across the wide range of conditions occurring along boundaries and interfaces. While the mathematical and computational developments necessary to solve each problem are developed in later chapters, each figure documents where its solutions are presented.


2021 ◽  
pp. 176-182
Author(s):  
Durland Fish

Abstract This chapter covers the history of Ixodes scapularis, its mode and major pathways of range expansion, and the establishment of I. scapularis-borne pathogens in the USA.


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