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Experiments and models suggest that climate affects mosquito-borne disease transmission. However, disease transmission involves complex nonlinear interactions between climate and population dynamics, which makes detecting climate drivers at the population level challenging. By analysing incidence data, estimated susceptible population size, and climate data with methods based on nonlinear time series analysis (collectively referred to as empirical dynamic modelling), we identified drivers and their interactive effects on dengue dynamics in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Climatic forcing arose only when susceptible availability was high: temperature and rainfall had net positive and negative effects respectively. By capturing mechanistic, nonlinear and context-dependent effects of population susceptibility, temperature and rainfall on dengue transmission empirically, our model improves forecast skill over recent, state-of-the-art models for dengue incidence. Together, these results provide empirical evidence that the interdependence of host population susceptibility and climate drives dengue dynamics in a nonlinear and complex, yet predictable way.
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Frequently asked questions about nonlinear dynamics and empirical dynamic modelling
Abstract Complex nonlinear dynamics are ubiquitous in marine ecology. Empirical dynamic modelling can be used to infer ecosystem dynamics and species interactions while making minimal assumptions. Although there is growing enthusiasm for applying these methods, the background required to understand them is not typically part of contemporary marine ecology curricula, leading to numerous questions and potential misunderstanding. In this study, we provide a brief overview of empirical dynamic modelling, followed by answers to the ten most frequently asked questions about nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear forecasting.
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- PAR ID:
- 10230196
- Editor(s):
- Griffith, Gary
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ICES Journal of Marine Science
- Volume:
- 77
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1095-9289
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1463 to 1479
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract Experiments and models suggest that climate affects mosquito‐borne disease transmission. However, disease transmission involves complex nonlinear interactions between climate and population dynamics, which makes detecting climate drivers at the population level challenging. By analysing incidence data, estimated susceptible population size, and climate data with methods based on nonlinear time series analysis (collectively referred to as empirical dynamic modelling), we identified drivers and their interactive effects on dengue dynamics in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Climatic forcing arose only when susceptible availability was high: temperature and rainfall had net positive and negative effects respectively. By capturing mechanistic, nonlinear and context‐dependent effects of population susceptibility, temperature and rainfall on dengue transmission empirically, our model improves forecast skill over recent, state‐of‐the‐art models for dengue incidence. Together, these results provide empirical evidence that the interdependence of host population susceptibility and climate drives dengue dynamics in a nonlinear and complex, yet predictable way.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsz209
