Fine-scale tiger mosquito population dynamics in urban and densely
populated landscapes
Abstract
Urban landscapes present unique challenges and opportunities for
mosquitoes, influencing their population dynamics, behavior, and disease
transmission potential. We used genetic and network analyses to explore
the dispersal and life cycle patterns of the disease vector Aedes
albopictus within a 0.525km2 urban area. Despite
significant landscape heterogeneity, mosquito populations were well
mixed, dispersing an average of 160m. Population growth appeared
influenced by local hosts and breeding sites, resulting in generation
times of approximately one month. The intermittent presence of mosquito
families in the trap system indicated potential time delays, likely
caused by the duration of their aquatic life stages or adult mosquito
movement in and out the system. This suggests that if mosquitoes become
infected, a disease could spread rapidly and uniformly over a month,
potentially reaching neighboring areas. Our study underscores the
effectiveness of kinship genetic analyses in urban mosquito ecology and
in shaping targeted surveillance and control strategies.