Table 2. Measures of variable contribution for covariates in the Ixodes scapularis model.
| Variable | Permutation importance | Gain without variable | Gain with only variable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance to coniferous forest | 24.7 | 1.1137 | 0.1383 |
| Distance to deciduous forest | 22.6 | 1.0479 | 0.1309 |
| Elevation | 19.1 | 0.9809 | 0.4021 |
| DD>0°C | 13.2 | 1.0713 | 0.0097 |
| Proportion of agriculture | 8.7 | 1.0194 | 0.1564 |
| Proportion of rural or undifferentiated land | 4.7 | 1.0578 | 0.0065 |
| Precipitation of warmest quarter | 2.2 | 1.0926 | 0.0154 |
| Precipitation of wettest quarter | 1.9 | 1.1392 | 0.0246 |
| Temperature seasonality | 1.4 | 1.1363 | 0.0207 |
| Distance to water | 0.8 | 1.1184 | 0.0197 |
| Proportion of infrastructure | 0.5 | 1.0948 | 0.0681 |
| Proportion of hedge rows | 0.2 | 1.1394 | 0.0176 |
| Full model regularized training gain: 1.1494 |