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Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
Published on: October 29, 2016
Trade communities and their spatial patterns in the German pork production network
H H K Lentz1, M Konschake, K Teske
1Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Seestr. 55, 16868 Wusterhausen, Germany.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
|November 30, 2010
Summary
German pig trade networks reveal distinct regional communities, with rare contacts between them. These trade borders, crucial for disease control, often disregard administrative boundaries, necessitating new cross-border strategies.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary epidemiology
- Network analysis
- Animal health management
Background:
- Understanding animal trade networks is crucial for disease prevention.
- Previous studies have not fully analyzed the structure of German pig trade networks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the German pig trade network from 2006-2008.
- To identify distinct trade communities and their characteristics.
- To assess the implications for disease spread and management.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of comprehensive German trade data (121,287 premises, 330,000 connections).
- Application of modularity maximization to detect community structures.
- Spatial and regional analysis of identified trade communities.
Main Results:
- Nine major pig trade communities were identified, encompassing 97% of holdings.
- Communities formed distinct spatial and regional clusters.
- Inter-community contacts were infrequent, forming 'trade borders'.
- Trade borders did not align with German federal state administrative borders.
Conclusions:
- German pig trade is highly structured into regional communities.
- Trade borders, while potentially limiting disease spread, are not aligned with administrative boundaries.
- New cross-border disease management strategies are required, considering these trade-defined regions.
