Open Question
Lyme disease is caused by infections of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (stained blue in inset, among red blood cells) which is transferred to humans via blood-sucking bites from the tick, Ixodes scapularis. Lyme disease can cause flu-like symptoms in the short term and more serious illnesses in the long term, if not treated. Why is Lyme disease on the rise in eastern North America?Researchers have measured a positive correlation between forest fragmentation and incidence of Lyme disease. According to the theory of island biogeography, how do you predict fragmentation will affect species richness?