Abstract
Previous studies have found that Met52®, which contains the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum, is effective in reducing the abundance of Ixodes scapularis, the tick vector for the bacterium causing Lyme disease and for other tick-borne pathogens. Given widespread interest in effective, safe methods for controlling ticks, Met52 has the potential to be used at increasing scales. The non-target impacts of Met52, as applied for tick control, have not yet been assessed. A Before-After-Control-Impact experiment was conducted to assess the effects of Met52 on non-target arthropods in lawn and forest habitats typical of residential yards. Ground-dwelling arthropods were collected using bulk sampling of soil and litter, and pitfall sampling. Arthropods were sampled once before and twice after treatment of plots with either Met52 or water (control). Multivariate general linear models were used to jointly model the abundance of arthropod orders. For each sampling method and post-spray sampling occasion, Akaike Information Criterion values were used to compare the fits of two alternative models: one that included effects of period (before vs. after spray), habitat (lawn vs. forest), and treatment (Met52 vs. control), versus a nested null model that included effects of period, and habitat, but no treatment effect. The null model was consistently better supported by the data. Significant effects were found of period and habitat but not treatment. Retrospective power analysis indicated the study had 80% power to detect a 50% reduction in arthropod abundance, as measured by bulk samples taken before versus one week after treatment. The deployment of Met52 in suburban settings is unlikely to cause meaningful reductions in the abundance of non-target arthropods.
Highlights
An estimated 300,000 Lyme disease cases occur annually in the United States, making it the country’s most common vector-borne disease [1]
Health officials and the public seek solutions to reduce the incidence of tick-borne diseases (TBD) costeffectively and safely
Experimental locations were on the grounds of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies (CIES) (Millbrook, NY, U.S.A)
Summary
An estimated 300,000 Lyme disease cases occur annually in the United States, making it the country’s most common vector-borne disease [1]. Lyme disease can cause severe joint, heart, and neurological symptoms. The blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis transmits the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. I. scapularis transmits the bacterium that causes anaplasmosis, the protozoan that causes babesiosis, and Powassan. Met does not reduce non-target arthropods virus. The geographic range of Lyme disease is expanding in North America [2]. Health officials and the public seek solutions to reduce the incidence of tick-borne diseases (TBD) costeffectively and safely
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