Genetic and landscape connectivity of blacklegged ticks during range
expansion in the Midwestern U.S.
Abstract
For several decades, the Midwestern USA has been impacted by blacklegged
tick (Ixodes scapularis) range expansion, which, as the main
vector of the Lyme disease-causing bacterium Borrelia
burgdorferi, is linked to a regional increase in Lyme disease
incidence. Earlier studies of genetic differentiation of blacklegged
ticks have not tested detailed hypotheses about range expansion in the
Midwest, despite the importance of this topic to public health. We
addressed this gap by investigating the origin and environmental factors
that influenced blacklegged tick establishment and spread in the
Midwestern region. By analyzing fine-scale spatial population genomic
data, we find low genetic differentiation consistent with the known
recent range expansion. However, within Wisconsin, blacklegged ticks
have unique genetic ancestries that differ from other Midwestern
regions, suggesting multiple origins. Our data provide evidence for
blacklegged tick sources in northern Wisconsin contributing to the
recent expansion. In addition, we find a distinctive mixture of ancestry
along the Mississippi River in southwestern Wisconsin and in Indiana,
which was previously not identified. The most recently invaded
populations in Michigan exhibit sharp genetic divergence from Wisconsin
and Indiana samples despite their proximity, warranting further
examination of their genetic origin and expansion processes. Lastly,
landscape factors contribute to significant reductions in gene flow,
potentially limiting genetic exchange and disease transmission within
Midwestern states. This new knowledge of blacklegged tick range
expansion processes can improve vector surveillance, pest management,
and public health related to tick-borne disease risks.