Journal article
Population‐scale treatment informs solutions for control of environmentally transmitted wildlife disease
Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.56(10), pp.2363-2375
2019
Abstract
1. Long-term pathogen control or eradication in wildlife is rare and represents a major challenge in conservation. Control is particularly difficult for environmen-tally transmitted pathogens, including some of the most conservation-critical wildlife diseases.2. We undertook a treatment programme aimed at population-scale eradication of the environmentally transmittedSarcoptes scabiei mite (causative agent of sarcop-tic mange) during an epizootic in bare -nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Field trial results were used to parameterize a mechanistic host -disease model that ex-plicitly described indirect transmission, host behaviour and viable disease inter-vention methods.3. Model analysis shows that elimination of S. scabiei in the wild is most sensitive to the success of treatment delivery, and duration of the programme. In addition, we found the frequency that wombats switch burrows was an important positivedriver of mite persistence.4. Synthesis and applications. This research emphasizes the utility of applying model -guided management techniques in order to achieve practical solutions for con-trolling disease in the field. We find that control efforts of Sarcoptes scabiei are most successful when simultaneous improvements are made to the current best -practice protocol, specifically the implementation of better treatment applica-tion methods in combination with a longer lasting treatment. These suggested management changes may also reduce the resources and field effort required to implement a successful regime. Furthermore, our approach and findings have ap-plicability to other species affected by S. scabiei (e.g. wolves, red foxes, Spanish ibex and American black bear), as well as other conservation-critical systems in-volving environmental transmission (e.g. bat white -nose syndrome and amphibianchytridiomycosis).
Details
- Title
- Population‐scale treatment informs solutions for control of environmentally transmitted wildlife disease
- Authors
- Alynn M Martin (Corresponding Author) - University of TasmaniaShane A Richards (Author) - University of TasmaniaTamieka A Fraser (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastAdam Polkinghorne (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastChristopher P Burridge (Author) - University of TasmaniaScott Carver (Author) - University of Tasmania
- Publication details
- Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.56(10), pp.2363-2375
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Date published
- 2019
- DOI
- 10.1111/1365-2664.13467
- ISSN
- 0021-8901
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450609902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
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- Biodiversity Conservation
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