Habitat suitability maps of Ixodes ricinus tick in France using multi-criteria analysis

The tick Ixodes ricinus is widely distributed across Europe and is responsible for the transmission of several pathogens to humans and animals. To create the map presented here, we used a knowledge-based method to map variations in habitat suitability for I. ricinus ticks throughout continental mainland France and Corsica. The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) integrated four major biotic and abiotic factors known to influence tick populations: climate, land cover, altitude and the density of wild ungulates. For each factor, Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) values were attributed to different locations based on knowledge regarding its impact on tick populations (Lebert et al. 2022). For the MCDA, two methods of factor combination were tested, additive and multiplicative, both which were evaluated at the spatial scales of departments and local municipalities. The resulting habitat suitability maps are at a resolution of 100 m x 100 m. The map of Habitat Suitability scores for I. ricinus ticks in continental France and Corsica is based on the additive approach with departmental-level data for wild boar and roe deer.