Data from: Prediction and attenuation of seasonal spillover of parasites between wild and domestic ungulates in an arid mixed-use system

1.Transmission of parasites between host species affects host population dynamics, interspecific competition, and ecosystem structure and function. In areas where wild and domestic herbivores share grazing land, management of parasites in livestock may affect or be affected by sympatric wildlife due to cross-species transmission.

2.We develop a novel method for simulating transmission potential based on both biotic and abiotic factors in a semi-arid system in Botswana. Optimal timing of antiparasitic treatment in livestock is then compared under a variety of alternative host scenarios, including seasonally migrating wild hosts.

3.In this region, rainfall is the primary driver of seasonality of transmission, but wildlife migration leads to spatial differences in the effectiveness of treatment in domestic animals. Additionally, competent migratory wildlife hosts move parasites across the landscape.

4.Simulated transmission potential matches observed patterns of clinical disease in the study area. Increased wildlife contact is correlated with a decrease in disease, suggesting that noncompetent wild hosts may attenuate transmission by removing infective parasite larvae from livestock pasture.

5.Optimising the timing of treatment according to within-year rainfall patterns was considerably more effective than treating at a standard time of year. By targeting treatment in this way, efficient control can be achieved, mitigating parasite spillover from wildlife where it does occur.

6.Synthesis and applications: This model of parasite transmission potential enables evidence-based management of parasite spillover between wild and domestic species in a spatio-temporally dynamic system. It can be applied in other mixed-use systems to mitigate parasite transmission under altered climate scenarios or changes in host ranges.

1. 寄生虫在不同宿主物种间的传播会影响宿主种群动态、种间竞争以及生态系统的结构与功能。在野生与家养草食动物共享放牧地的区域，由于跨物种传播的存在，家畜体内寄生虫的管理可能会影响同域分布的野生动物，反之亦然。
2. 我们开发了一种基于博茨瓦纳半干旱生态系统中生物与非生物因子的寄生虫传播潜力模拟新方法。随后，在包括季节性迁徙野生宿主在内的多种不同宿主情景下，对比了家畜抗寄生虫治疗的最佳时机。
3. 在该区域，降雨是传播季节性变化的主要驱动因素，但野生动物的迁徙会导致家畜治疗效果出现空间差异。此外，具有感染能力的迁徙野生宿主会将寄生虫扩散至整个景观区域。
4. 模拟得到的传播潜力与研究区域内观测到的临床疾病模式相符。野生宿主接触频次的增加与疾病发生率的降低呈相关性，这表明非兼容野生宿主（noncompetent wild hosts）可通过清除家畜牧场中的感染性寄生虫幼虫来减弱传播。
5. 根据年内降雨模式优化治疗时机，其效果远优于在固定年度时段开展治疗。通过采用这种靶向治疗策略，可实现高效的寄生虫防控，进而在寄生虫确实发生溢出传播（spillover）的情况下减轻其从野生动物向家畜的传播风险。
6. 综合与应用：本寄生虫传播潜力模型可用于在时空动态系统中实现野生与家养物种间寄生虫溢出传播的循证管理。该模型还可应用于其他混合利用生态系统，以在气候变化情景改变或宿主分布范围发生变化时，减轻寄生虫的传播风险。