Current and future niche of North and Central American sand flies (Diptera: psychodidae) in climate change scenarios.

ABSTRACT: Ecological niche models are useful tools to infer potential spatial and temporal distributions in vector species and to measure epidemiological risk for infectious diseases such as the Leishmaniases. The ecological niche of 28 North and Central American sand fly species, including those with epidemiological relevance, can be used to analyze the vector's ecology and its association with transmission risk, and plan integrated regional vector surveillance and control programs. In this study, we model the environmental requirements of the principal North and Central American phlebotomine species and analyze three niche characteristics over future climate change scenarios: i) potential change in niche breadth, ii) direction and magnitude of niche centroid shifts, iii) shifts in elevation range.

SUBMITTER: Moo-Llanes D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3777871 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature