Remotely sensed environmental variables as indicators of Triatoma infestans (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) distribution

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of the geographic distribution of Triatoma infestans based on biophysical variables recorded by meteorological satellites. The analysis includes data derived from a temporal Fourier Analysis of monthly images over a set of 14 derived statistical descriptors of the average, minimum, maximum, variability, amplitude and phase of the air temperature, land surface temperature, medium infrared radiation and a vegetation index remotely sensed by the AVHRR. Temporal series covered the period 1982-2000, and the area from Panamá to Tierra del Fuego. The analysis of individual variables showed that the annual phase of the normalised difference vegetation index identifies correctly 80% presence and absence sites of Triatoma infestans. The analysis confirms the importance of temperature (especially air temperature) for Triatoma infestans distribution, as 7 (out of 14) statistical descriptors associated with air temperature identified correctly >70% of presence and absence sites. A Stepwise Linear Discriminant Analysis showed that a function with six statistical descriptors (four of them associated with air temperature, one associated with medium infrared radiation, and one with the vegetation index) identified correctly 90% of presence and absence sites of Triatoma infestans. The analysis shows the important association between the environmental variables studied at the continental scale and the distribution of a strictly domestic and haematophagous species. The approach could be useful for large scale studies of the distribution of other species with more direct and causal relation with vegetation and climate than Triatoma infestans.