| dc.description.abstract | The emergence of diseases, such as cerebrospinal elaphostrongylosis caused by brain worms or Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), as a critical threat to wildlife has accentuated the necessity of understanding disease dynamics within ecosystems. This evolving perspective in wildlife conservation accounts for the complex relationship between human activities, climate change and diseases prevalence in wildlife. This master thesis focuses on the host-parasite relationship between the parasitic nematode Elaphostrongylus rangiferi, which causes brainworm disease, and the tundra reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), which serves as the end host of this nematode. Gastropods act as intermediate host. Ultimately, brainworm disease is lethal for the end host. Norway hosts some of the last European populations of the tundra reindeer and thus has special responsibility for the conservation of this red listed species. The impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures, influence the distribution patterns of the tundra reindeer and gastropods, resulting in their increased overlap in mountainous regions, which in turn may lead to an increase in brainworm infections. We investigated the spatial distribution and abundance of gastropods, i.e. snails and slugs, in plots along an altitudinal gradient in reindeer habitat in Hardangervidda National Park, Norway. We used two methods to find gastropods in the vegetation plots, i.e. visual search and traps, and evaluated the abundance of gastropods in relation to environmental characteristics of the plots. The results showed that the most important factors affecting the abundance of gastropods in reindeer habitats were elevation, soil moisture, and tree cover. Gastropod abundance was higher at lower elevations and in areas with dense tree cover along with high soil moisture levels. Our results suggest that future climate change may lead to an increase of gastropods at higher elevations, which may intensify the prevalence of brainworm infection in wild reindeer. | |
