ENVR 485 Hidden Hosts: Small Mammals and Tick-Borne Disease (2025)

Tick-borne diseases like Lyme and anaplasmosis are rising threats to public health in New York, yet their spread is rooted in complex ecological interactions often overlooked in current management strategies. Our research looks at how small mammal and predator abundance affect tick populations and disease prevalence across the rural-urban gradient in northern New York. We conducted field sampling in and around Potsdam using camera traps, Sherman traps, pitfall traps, and custom “bucket cams” to estimate the relative abundance of predators, small mammals, and ticks. We hypothesize that higher predator abundance will suppress small mammal populations, leading to lower tick abundance and disease prevalence. We also predict higher tick and small mammal abundance in rural versus urban zones. Our findings aim to inform more ecologically grounded approaches to tick-borne disease management in the St. Lawrence River watershed, with potential applications for conservation planning, public health, and wildlife management strategies.