Location: Cattle Fever Tick Research Unit
Project Number: 3094-32000-042-019-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2018
End Date: Apr 30, 2022
Objective:
Validation of Tick-Host-Landscape-Climate interactions in South Texas affecting Cattle Fever Tick populations and Tick Suppression.
Approach:
A detailed geospatial data base will be developed using the Geographic Information System (GIS) ArcGIS and related products ArcMap and ArcView to include topography, hydrology, physiography (fences, buildings, working facilities), vegetation community types, and soil types at a minimum resolution of 30x30 meters aggregated from USGS, TNRIS, and other existing data bases. This GIS will be used to assess the distribution of tick habitat type, forage and browse resources for cattle and wildlife, and other spatially related elements. Our objectives will be addressed using multivariate and time series analyses to assess and certify our basic ecological premises of cattle fever tick ecology in South Texas. (obj 1). The spatially-explicit, individual-based, tick simulation model (Wang et al. 2016) will be validated (obj 2) by comparing simulation results on the study landscape with real-time results using precipitation, temperature and saturation deficit data from the study to drive the model. Comparisons of field and simulated results will be used to determine whether refinements to existing or new ecological interactions are needed (obj 3). The validated simulation model will be applied to deterministic analyses of larval survivorship by habitat type for assessment of larval refugia (obj 4), and for hypothetical applications of tick suppression tactics (obj 5).
