Work

Projecting the impacts of climate change on habitat distribution of Varroa destructor in Ethiopia using MaxEnt ecological modeling

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ) is classified as having low to very high suitability for V. destructor. The most significant factors influencing its distribution are annual temperature (43.2 %), agroecology (14.7 %), precipitation of the driest quarter (12.1 %) and annual precipitation (10.2 %). The annual temperature favorable for V. destructor incidence ranges from 5 °C to 16.5 °C, with a notable decline in incidence as temperatures increase to 30 °C. This aligns with the predicted high concentration of suitable habitats in the cool-humid and sub-humid agroecological zones. However, suitable habitats are expected to decline under future climatic conditions. Under ssp585, suitable habitat for V. destructor is projected to decline by 13.72 % by the 2030s and by 31.66 % by the 2090s. Overall, under current and future climate conditions, suitable habitats are concentrated in the cool-humid and sub-humid agroecological zones. Therefore, research and management interventions should target these areas to contain the mite's spread and impact.

Source: The Science of The Total Environment

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178904

Authors: Haftom Gebremedhn, Yikunoamlak Gebrewahid, Gebre Hadgu, Dirk C. de Graaf

Institutions: Ghent University, Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)

Language: English

Topic: Species Distribution and Climate Change

Subfield: Ecological Modeling

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Life on land

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,250