RT Journal Article
T1 Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Studying Spatial Abundance of Ungulates: Relevance to Spatial Epidemiology
A1 Barasona García-Arévalo, José Ángel
A1 Mulero-Pázmány, Margarita
A1 Acevedo, Pelayo
A1 Negro, Juan
A1 Torres, María
A1 Gortázar, Christian
A1 Vicente, Joaquín
A2 Mónica V. Cunha, 
AB Complex ecological and epidemiological systems require multidisciplinary and innovative research. Low cost unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can provide information on the spatial pattern of hosts’ distribution and abundance, which is crucial as regards modelling the determinants of disease transmission and persistence on a fine spatial scale. In this context we have studied the spatial epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in the ungulate community of Doñana National Park (South-western Spain) by modelling species host (red deer, fallow deer and cattle) abundance at fine spatial scale. The use of UAS high-resolution images has allowed us to collect data to model the environmental determinants of host abundance, and in a further step to evaluate their relationships with the spatial risk of TB throughout the ungulate community. We discuss the ecological, epidemiological and logistic conditions under which UAS may contribute to study the wildlife/livestock sanitary interface, where the spatial aggregation of hosts becomes crucial. These findings are relevant for planning and implementing research, fundamentally when managing disease in multi-host systems, and focusing on risky areas. Therefore, managers should prioritize the implementation of control strategies to reduce disease of conservation, economic and social relevance.
PB Public Library of Science
YR 2014
FD 2014
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/98844
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/98844
LA eng
NO Author ContributionsConceived and designed the experiments: JAB MM JV. Performed the experiments: JAB MM MJT JJN JV. Analyzed the data: JAB PA. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: JAB MM PA JJN MJT CG JV. Wrote the paper: JAB MM PA CG JV.
NO Junta de Comunidades Castilla-La Mancha 
NO Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
NO European Commission
NO Universidad de Castilla la Mancha
NO Approaches in monitoring wildlife Population Health, And Ecology and Abundance project
DS Docta Complutense
RD 6 abr 2025