SMALL MAMMAL POPULATIONS, TICKS, AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES IN URBAN PARKS

Abstract

As urban environments expand, the distribution of wildlife, particularly white-footed mice, influences public health through zoonotic pathogen transmission, such as Lyme disease. This study examined pathogen risk in urban green spaces, focusing on interactions among small mammal communities, black-legged ticks, and the bacterium Borreliella (Borrelia) burgdorferi. Over two years, small mammal trapping was conducted across six urban park sites in Maryland to 1) quantify small mammal densities in six unique urban sites and 2) identify correlations between small mammal community and habitat structure related to pathogen prevalence. Findings revealed significant differences in pathogen risk between parks, driven by elevation and landscape features, with open shrub-scrub, and upland habitats, such as powerline corridors, linked to increased transmission risk. These results underscore the importance of habitat-level management strategies for urban green spaces to mitigate pathogen risk, rather than focusing solely on white-footed mice.