A HETEROGENEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF EMMONSIA-PARVA VAR CRESCENS IN AN AGROECOSYSTEM

The lung tissue of 1143 rodents of five species, caught at a number of sites and habitats in an agro-ecosystem (southern Moravia, Czech Repu blic) in 1988-1993, was examined for the presence of adiaspores of Emm onsia parva var. crescens (Emmons et Jellison) van Oorschot. The overa ll prevalence of adiasporomycosis was 166%, but its distribution varie d significantly according to rodent species (Clethrionomys glareolus 3 7.6%, Apodemus flavicollis 33.3%, A. sylvaticus 21.1%, A microps 9.2%, Microtus arvalis 2.7%) and habitat (lucerne fields 28%, fields with o ther crops 10.6%, windbreaks 33.1%, woods 15.8%). Wooded areas have co nsistently higher prevalence rates of rodent adiasporomycosis than ara ble fields. Some windbreaks could form natural foci of adiasporomycosi s in the agricultural, largely deforested landscape.