FIGURE 5.

Conceptual model of the dilution mechanisms described by the model. (a) Transmission reduction: addition of non‐competent hosts to the community (scenario 3–5) leads to a reduction in numbers of infectious hosts because of wasted bites. Infectious ticks, in black, feed on non‐competent hosts halting pathogen transmission to hosts (and molting in non‐infectious adults), especially when ticks do not display preferences between competent and non‐competent hosts (e.g., pathosystem with generalist vector). Dashed line separates competent hosts, on the left, from non‐competent hosts, on the right. (b) Susceptible host regulation: increase in community diversity (scenario 1–5) leads to competent host population reduction and so to a reduction of infectious hosts; however, as the number of available hosts for the ticks also rises, there might be a concurrent increase of infectious ticks, especially if ticks feed preferably on competent hosts (e.g., pathosystem with specialist vector)