2022_WeightedMammal_HostDistributionModels

Weighted TBE Mammal Host distribution models, 2022. 

Abstract:

The distributions of the known TBE vector hosts were obtained from IUCN and the European Mammal Atlas and converted to presence or absence within standard 50 km Grid and then ranked from 1 to 4 according to their function as follows:  Reservoir Host and virus amplifiers. Score 4 = Apodemus flavicolis (Yellow necked mouse), Myodes glareolus (Bank vole)  Major Vector amplifiers and virus dilution. Score 3 = Capreolus capreolus (Roe deer) , cervus elephus (Red deer), Dama dama (Fallow Deer) Minor Vector amplifiers and virus dilution. Score 2 = Alces alces (Moose) , Odocoelus Virginia (White-tailed deer) Possible Vector Amplifiers Score 1= Lepus europeus (European hare), Lepus timidus (Mountain Hare) Host Predators Score -1 Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox) An equal number of zero (hosts absent) points were assigned randomly outside the known host ranges.  The summed scores were then modelled using Random Forest and Boosted Regression Trees spatial modelling methods, implemented using the VECMAP modelling suite, using a standard set of covariates including Fourier Processed Remotely Sensed environmental variables, land use proportions, human population and elevation. The outputs of the two methods were then ensembled as a simple mean.

File naming scheme: 

tbeweighetedhostsRFBRTGAUSENSEMBLEDec21.TIF   The weighted host model in Dec 2021

Projection + EPSG code:Latitude-Longitude/WGS84 (EPSG: 4326)

Spatial extent:Extent   -32.0000000000000000,18.0000000000000000 : 68.9999999999999574,81.9999999999999716

Spatial resolution:0.0083333 deg (approx. 1000 m)

Pixel values:

a weighted score

Source: 

IUCN and the European Mammal Atlas

Software used:

The software used for modelling is VECMAP®

Software used for map production is ESRI ArcMap 10.8

License: CC-BY-SA 4.0

Processed by:ERGO (Environmental Research Group Oxford) https://ergoonline.co.uk/ for the H2020 MOOD project