The Effects of Urban Fragmentation and Landscape Connectivity on Disease Prevalence and Transmission in North American Felids

本研究的目的是模拟城市化和由此产生的栖息地破碎化对大型食肉动物物种疾病动态的影响-生态关键生物对人类干扰敏感。山猫、美洲狮和家猫将在三个不同的生态系统中同时进行评估：高山沙漠（科罗拉多）、沼泽地（佛罗里达）和地中海灌木丛栖息地（加州）。该研究将：（1）评估城市化梯度中栖息地破碎化与病毒、细菌和寄生虫病原体流行之间的关系，（2）使用选定疾病病原体的传播动力学作为破碎化人群连通性的标志，（3）评估城市化对跨物种疾病传播发生率的影响。 一个独特的合格研究团队与大型食肉动物的广泛数据集相结合，为研究这些罕见且难以研究的物种的疾病动态提供了前所未有的机会。将强调对生态学、传染病和流行病学研究生的培训，以及对博士前和博士后兽医的培训。 研究结果将广泛提供给其他科学家、保护工作者和公众。这项研究具有巨大的能力，广泛影响公共和研究生教育领域，为新的研究人员和来自代表性不足的群体的人的职业发展，并利用广泛的多学科合作来提高对复杂的传染病生态问题的理解。

The objective of this study is to model the effects of urbanization and resultant habitat fragmentation on disease dynamics in large carnivore species--ecologically pivotal organisms that are sensitive to human disturbances. Bobcats, puma, and domestic cats will be evaluated simultaneously in three divergent ecosystems: high mountain desert (Colorado), everglades (Florida), and Mediterranean scrub habitat (California). The research will: (1) assess the relationship between habitat fragmentation and prevalence of viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens across a gradient of urbanization, (2) use transmission dynamics of selected disease agents as markers of connectivity of fragmented populations, and (3) evaluate the effect of urbanization on the incidence of cross-species disease transmission. The combination of a uniquely qualified research team with an extensive dataset on large carnivores presents an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the disease dynamics in these rare and difficult to study species. Training of graduate students in ecology, infectious disease, and epidemiology will be emphasized, as will training for pre- and post-doctoral veterinarians. Results will be made widely available to other scientists, conservation practitioners, and the general public. This research has a tremendous capacity to broadly impact areas of public and post-graduate education, career development for new investigators and persons from under-represented groups, and to enhance understanding of complex infectious disease ecological problems using extensive multi-disciplinary collaborations.