Functional connectivity of the white-footed mouse in Southern Quebec, Canada
Authored by Robby R Marrotte, Andrew Gonzalez, Virginie Millien
Date Published: 2017
DOI: 10.1007/s10980-017-0559-y
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Abstract
Purpose The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) is an important
reservoir host for the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease in eastern
North-America. Indigenous cases of Lyme disease in southern Quebec have
increased from two cases in 2004 to 160 cases in 2015. Because of the
strong relationship between the white-footed mouse occurrence and the
Lyme disease pathogen prevalence, we can estimate the risk of Lyme
disease by finding areas of high contact between mice. In this study, we
inferred the movement patterns and contact rate of the white-footed
mouse in southern Quebec.
Methods We used pattern-orientated modelling to estimate a directional
measure of functional connectivity from an Individual-Based Model. We
replicated the spatial pattern observed in previously published
molecular analysis of a white-footed mouse population.
Results A perceptual range of 80 m best explained the genetic structure
of the white-footed mouse in the region. The paths of individuals
generally overlapped the edges of urban centers and the boundary of
linear obstacles such as highways and water bodies. We show that the
contact probability of mice was a good predictor of the number of mice
caught in the field.
Conclusions Our findings highlight the usefulness of individual-based
models to potentially predict high contact areas and disease hotspots
across landscapes.
Tags
Pattern-oriented modelling
Density-dependent dispersal
Infectious-disease
Lyme-disease
Gene flow
Functional connectivity
Chronic wasting disease
Perceptual range
Inbreeding avoidance
Individualbased model
Lyme disease
Stochastic movement
simulator
Mice peromyscus-leucopus
Biodiversity
protect humans
Sin-nombre-virus
Deer mice