Aim: The aim of this thesis is to provide a further understanding on the role of small mammal hosts in feeding ticks in two contrasting ecosystems, and specifically the likelihood of successful feeding of ticks. This will be done by measurements of mass of larvae collected from different small mammal hosts. This will determine if Ixodes ricinus larvae are receiving equal amounts of food from different hosts, and indicate if grooming or immune defences affect the competence of small mammal hosts to ticks.
Design and analysis: The Master candidate will participate in trapping of small mammals along established transects in Vestby, Akershus and Førde, Sogn og Fjordane (Mysterud et al. 2015). The candidate will participate in three trapping sessions (4 days each) per area. Lab work will be to count ticks from this sampling, as well as measure masses of already gathered ticks from previous years (2013-17). Data on tick counts will be analysed with generalized linear mixed-effects models (negative binomial models). Data mass of ticks will either be analysed as a continuous trait, or categories as successfully fed and non-fed ticks and analysed with binomial models.
Requirements: You need to have a drivers licence and ability to work independently in the field.
Supervisors
Professor Atle Mysterud, CEES, UiO
Dr. Hildegunn Viljugrein, CEES, UiO og Veterinærinstituttet i Oslo (NVI).
Sounds interesting? Send a mail to atle.mysterud@ibv.uio.no (room 3501 in Biology building).
References
Egyed L (2017) Difference in susceptibility of small rodent host species to infestation by Ixodes ricinus larvae. Exp Appl Acarol 72:183-189.
Mysterud A, Byrkjeland R, Qviller L, Viljugrein H (2015) The generalist tick Ixodes ricinus and the specialist tick Ixodes trianguliceps on shrews and rodents in a northern forest ecosystem - a role of body size even among small hosts. Parasite Vector 8:639.