Four Rodent and Vole Biodiversity Models for Europe

The mechanisms underlying associations between rodent diversity and the spread of rodent borne diseases are still unclear. The number of potential host species may influence a disease by either spreading the pathogen (or vectors) more rapidly or conversely by reducing contact with other hosts through the effects of dilution. In either case the number of potential hosts may impact on the distribution of a disease or its vectors.  Four spatially modelled indices of rodent species richness have been generated to support distribution modelling of rodent borne diseases specifically initially focussing on Hantaviruses and tick borne diseases.