During my doctorate at CEAB, I will investigate how bird dispersal and behavior influence West Nile Virus (WNV) transmission across wetland-agriculture-urban mosaics. Using theoretical models, environmental data, and GPS tracking, I will analyze how birds move across habitats to identify potential pathways and barriers for WNV spread. By intersecting bird movement models with mosquito and human population data, we aim to assess the risk of WNV spillover to humans and farm animals. Our objective is to understand how interactions among humans, mosquitoes, and birds shape WNV epidemiology and to contribute to early warning systems for forecasting and responding to mosquito-borne diseases in a changing, interconnected world.

IP: Frederic Bartumeus