The Roles of Predators, Competitors, and Secondary Salinization in Structuring Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Assemblages in Ephemeral Water Bodies of the Wheatbelt of Western Australia

Carver, Scott; Spafford, Helen; Storey, Andrew; Weinstein, Philip

doi:10.1603/en09235

Cited by 18 publications

(26 citation statements)

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“…(Trung et al, 2004) and similar trends have been seen elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Also, higher densities of Aedes ( Ochlerotatus ) camptorhynchus , a known vector of Ross River virus, have been associated with increasing salinization of freshwater bodies caused by large-scale and intensive wheat farming in Western Australia (Jardine et al, 2008; Carver et al, 2009, 2010; van Schie et al, 2009). …”

Section: Rising Sea Levels Due To Global Warming Can Also Influence Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Disease Transmission by Salinity-Tolerant Mosquito Vectors in Coastal Zones

Ramasamy¹,

Surendran²

2012

Front. Physio.

106

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Global climate change can potentially increase the transmission of mosquito vector-borne diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and dengue in many parts of the world. These predictions are based on the effects of changing temperature, rainfall, and humidity on mosquito breeding and survival, the more rapid development of ingested pathogens in mosquitoes and the more frequent blood feeds at moderately higher ambient temperatures. An expansion of saline and brackish water bodies (water with <0.5 ppt or parts per thousand, 0.5–30 ppt and >30 ppt salt are termed fresh, brackish, and saline respectively) will also take place as a result of global warming causing a rise in sea levels in coastal zones. Its possible impact on the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases has, however, not been adequately appreciated. The relevant impacts of global climate change on the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases in coastal zones are discussed with reference to the Ross–McDonald equation and modeling studies. Evidence is presented to show that an expansion of brackish water bodies in coastal zones can increase the densities of salinity-tolerant mosquitoes like Anopheles sundaicus and Culex sitiens, and lead to the adaptation of fresh water mosquito vectors like Anopheles culicifacies, Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes albopictus to salinity. Rising sea levels may therefore act synergistically with global climate change to increase the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases in coastal zones. Greater attention therefore needs to be devoted to monitoring disease incidence and preimaginal development of vector mosquitoes in artificial and natural coastal brackish/saline habitats. It is important that national and international health agencies are aware of the increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases in coastal zones and develop preventive and mitigating strategies. Application of appropriate counter measures can greatly reduce the potential for increased coastal transmission of mosquito-borne diseases consequent to climate change and a rise in sea levels. It is proposed that the Jaffna peninsula in Sri Lanka may be a useful case study for the impact of rising sea levels on mosquito vectors in tropical coasts.

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Section: Rising Sea Levels Due To Global Warming Can Also Influence Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Disease Transmission by Salinity-Tolerant Mosquito Vectors in Coastal Zones

Ramasamy¹,

Surendran²

2012

Front. Physio.

106

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“…Macroinvertebrates were identified to the lowest practical taxonomic level, typically to genus. We included the zooplankton groups Cladocera, Copepoda and Podocopida in macroinvertebrate counts and analyses due to their important role as a food source, predators and competitors with mosquitoes (Carver et al, ; Rossi, Benassi, Belletti, & Menozzi, ) and being readily identifiable in the macroinvertebrate sample.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We calculated total macroinvertebrate abundance, macroinvertebrate taxa richness and total ostracod abundance for each wetland for each sample month. We were interested in ostracod abundance specifically because they have been identified as a widespread and abundant competitor with mosquito larvae in ephemeral water bodies (Carver et al, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To improve L. aurea breeding success, a series of small wetlands at Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, Australia, are drained on a rotational basis each year to reduce or temporarily eradicate G. holbrooki (O'Meara & Darcovich, ). Aquatic biodiversity, and subsequently ecosystem function, is critical for urban wetlands (Lefcheck et al, ; Rosenberg & Resh, ; Strayer & Dudgeon, ), but ephemeral waterbodies are also known to be significant sources of mosquito production (Carver, Spafford, Storey, & Weinstein, ). Drought can affect the abundance of mosquitoes and their predators (Chase & Knight, ), and may also impact vector‐borne disease risks (Brown, Medlock, & Murray, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Management of urban wetlands for conservation can reduce aquatic biodiversity and increase mosquito risk

Hanford

Webb

Hochuli

2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Global wetland loss means constructed urban wetlands are an increasingly valuable resource for conservation. However, priorities for managing urban wetlands for conservation are often seen to conflict with management to reduce potential mosquito risks, such as nuisance biting and pathogen transmission. Understanding the ecological consequences of wetland management practices is vital to maximize the conservation value of urban wetlands without negatively impacting public health; however, management practices are often untested. We conducted a landscape‐scale experiment to test the ecological impacts of an existing urban wetland management regime, in which a group of urban wetlands are drained annually to reduce the abundance of an invasive fish, the plague minnow Gambusia holbrooki, and then refilled to provide breeding habitat for a threatened frog, the green and golden bell frog Litoria aurea. We collected and compared aquatic macroinvertebrates and mosquito larvae from these refilled wetlands, and adjacent undrained wetlands, as well as sampling adult mosquito populations on four occasions across summer and autumn. Wetland draining had a significant effect on aquatic macroinvertebrates and larval mosquitoes. Twice as many macroinvertebrates were collected from drained wetlands compared to undrained wetlands, and almost all mosquito larvae were collected from drained wetlands. Differences in macroinvertebrate assemblages and larval mosquitoes at drained and undrained wetlands decreased over time, but total macroinvertebrate abundance and taxa richness did not. Synthesis and applications. While conserving threatened habitats and species is vitally important, our results highlight how wetland management practices can unintentionally impact non‐target species, and potentially public health. As constructed urban wetlands become more common, so too does the need for routine maintenance and management of threatened and invasive species. It is essential that future design and management of urban wetlands considers the impact mosquitoes might have on humans. Pre‐emptive action to control geographically relevant vectors of mosquito‐borne pathogens and nuisance biting species would reduce human exposure to mosquitoes and associated negative impacts, and increase positive conservation outcomes associated with urban wetlands.

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“…Aquaculture is an expanding economic activity along tropical Asian coasts. Also, higher densities of Aedes (Ochlerotatus) camptorhynchus , a vector of Ross River virus (RRV), have been associated with increasing salinisation of freshwater bodies due to intensive agriculture in Western Australia [[26-29], Additional file 2]. …”

Section: Presentation Of the Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible impact of rising sea levels on vector-borne infectious diseases

Ramasamy

Surendran

2011

BMC Infect Dis

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BackgroundVector-borne infectious diseases are a significant cause of human and animal mortality and morbidity. Modeling studies predict that changes in climate that accompany global warming will alter the transmission risk of many vector-borne infectious diseases in different parts of the world. Global warming will also raise sea levels, which will lead to an increase in saline and brackish water bodies in coastal areas. The potential impact of rising sea levels, as opposed to climate change, on the prevalence of vector-borne infectious diseases has hitherto been unrecognised.Presentation of the hypothesisMosquito species possessing salinity-tolerant larvae and pupae, and capable of transmitting arboviruses and parasites are found in many parts of the world. An expansion of brackish and saline water bodies in coastal areas, associated with rising sea levels, can increase densities of salinity-tolerant vector mosquitoes and lead to the adaptation of freshwater vectors to breed in brackish and saline waters. The breeding of non-mosquito vectors may also be influenced by salinity changes in coastal habitats. Higher vector densities can increase transmission of vector-borne infectious diseases in coastal localities, which can then spread to other areas.Testing the hypothesisThe demonstration of increases in vector populations and disease prevalence that is related to an expansion of brackish/saline water bodies in coastal areas will provide the necessary supportive evidence. However the implementation of specific vector and disease control measures to counter the threat will confound the expected findings.Implications of the hypothesisRising sea levels can act synergistically with climate change and then interact in a complex manner with other environmental and socio-economic factors to generate a greater potential for the transmission of vector-borne infectious diseases. The resulting health impacts are likely to be particularly significant in resource-poor countries in the tropics and semi-tropics. Some measures to meet this threat are outlined.

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The Roles of Predators, Competitors, and Secondary Salinization in Structuring Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Assemblages in Ephemeral Water Bodies of the Wheatbelt of Western Australia

Cited by 18 publications

References 69 publications

Global Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Disease Transmission by Salinity-Tolerant Mosquito Vectors in Coastal Zones

Global Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Disease Transmission by Salinity-Tolerant Mosquito Vectors in Coastal Zones

Management of urban wetlands for conservation can reduce aquatic biodiversity and increase mosquito risk

Possible impact of rising sea levels on vector-borne infectious diseases

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