MaxEnt model for predicting potential distribution of ticks in the western Kanto region of Japan

Land-use patterns, climatic factors, and wildlife distributions have been suggested to a role in shaping vector tick distributions. In the Tokyo metropolis surrounding prefectures, these factors rapidly changed over last few decades. Here, we estimated potential of ticks based on data 7-year survey at 134 sites western Kanto, Japan. We focused 6 species (Amblyomma testudinarium; Haemaphysalis flava; H. kitaokai; longicornis; megaspinosa; Ixodes ovatus) using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling annual precipitation, snow depth; remote-sensing land-use patterns (Forest connectivity; Agricultural land; Urban; Open water; Deciduous broad-leaf forest; needle-leaf Evergreen Bamboo Grassland; Bareland), five common [sika deer (Cervus nippon); wild boar (Sus scrofa); raccoon (Procyon lotor); dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides); masked palm civet (Paguma larvata)].