Defining and comparison of biodiversity components of hard ticks on domestic hosts at Highland, Woodland and Plain in Northern Iran.

The aim of the present study was to compare the biodiversity patterns of tick species in the Northern Iran between June 2007 and June 2008. 41 villages within three locations, viz. highland, woodland and plain, were selected using cluster randomized sampling method. A total of 504 sheep and 162 cattle visited monthly for a period of 12 months for the presence of ticks. Estimated richness was calculated using rarefaction curves and richness estimators. Defining the contribution of biodiversity components was adjusted using SHE analysis. A total of 1,231 hard ticks (consisting of 6 genera and 6 species) were collected. Rhipicephalus bursa (in highland and plain) and Boophilus annulatus (in woodland) were identified as eudominant species with the most abundance. Seasonal activity of the ticks varied among species. Rarefaction curves showed that summer and spring had the highest species diversity and richness in different locations. SHE analysis revealed that evenness had the greatest effect on the changes of species diversity and also showed that all regions are mainly occupied by common species. The study demonstrated that the seasonal fluctuations of R. bursa have a significant impact on the changes of species diversity.