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Micro- and Macroenvironment and Habitat Influences on Tick Abundance in Oklahoma City Urban Parks
Melissa R. Marquez
melissa.marquez0@gmail.com
Melissa R. Marquez
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma;
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Himel Talukder
Himel Talukder
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma;
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Wenwen Cheng
Wenwen Cheng
Gibbs College of Architecture, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma;
Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin;
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Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin;
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Daniel J. Becker
Daniel J. Becker
School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
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Michael C. Wimberly
Michael C. Wimberly
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma;
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Anni Yang
anni.yang@ou.edu
Anni Yang
Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma;
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Most studies on tick-borne diseases in the United States have focused on suburban and rural areas, leaving a gap in understanding risks in cities, where environmental conditions and human–tick interactions differ. Recent research has examined microhabitat effects on tick abundance but are limited in spatial and temporal scope. Tick behavior, such as host seeking, is shaped by local environmental factors and remains underexplored in urban landscapes. Integrating Earth observations of macroenvironmental and habitat conditions may improve our understanding of urban tick ecology. We hypothesize that a combination of micro- and macroenvironmental and habitat conditions predicts tick abundance in urban parks. Specifically, we expect microclimate factors (humidity and leaf litter depth) and macroconditions (habitat type and spatial arrangement) to influence questing tick abundance. In summer 2023, we collected ticks from 13 parks in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area using carbon dioxide traps and flagging techniques. Over 97% of ticks were Amblyomma americanum, a species known for aggressive host-seeking behavior. Our analysis of tick abundance in relation to microenvironmental (temperature, humidity, wind, and vegetation) and macroenvironmental (land-cover and landscape metrics) factors showed that solar radiation negatively affected tick abundance, whereas soil pH, woody vegetation, and forest cover were positive predictors. For adults, leaf litter depth and solar radiation were negative predictors, whereas woody vegetation and forest cover had positive impacts. Amblyomma americanum nymph abundance increased with humidity and soil pH. These findings underscore the complex interactions between environmental factors and tick distributions, with implications for urban health and park management.
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Author Notes
Financial support: This research was supported by the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, the Data Institute for Societal Challenges, and the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Oklahoma as well as the
Disclosures: The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest. The views, interpretations, and conclusions presented in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not reflect those of their affiliated institution.
Current contact information: Melissa R. Marquez, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, E-mail: mxm7163@psu.edu. Himel Talukder, Michael C. Wimberly, and Anni Yang, Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, E-mails: himel.talukder-1@ou.edu, mcwimberly@ou.edu, and anni.yang@ou.edu. Wenwen Cheng, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, E-mail: wenwen.cheng@wisc.edu. Daniel J. Becker, School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, E-mail: danbeck@ou.edu.
| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 421 | 421 | 421 |
| Full Text Views | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| PDF Downloads | 37 | 37 | 37 |