loading page

Fine-scale tiger mosquito population dynamics in urban and densely populated landscapes
  • +11
  • Vicente Ontiveros,
  • Federica Lucati,
  • Jenny Caner,
  • Andreu Albó Timor,
  • Roger Eritja,
  • Shai Pilosof,
  • David Roiz,
  • Frederic Simard,
  • Ju-Duk Yoon,
  • Gea-Jae Joo,
  • Hyunbin Jo,
  • Agustí Ruiz,
  • Marc Ventura,
  • Frederic Bartumeus
Vicente Ontiveros
CEAB
Author Profile
Federica Lucati
Pompeu Fabra University

Corresponding Author:federicalucati@hotmail.com

Author Profile
Jenny Caner
CEAB
Author Profile
Andreu Albó Timor
CEAB
Author Profile
Roger Eritja
CEAB
Author Profile
Shai Pilosof
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Natural Sciences
Author Profile
David Roiz
Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie Génétique Evolution et Contrôle
Author Profile
Frederic Simard
Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie Génétique Evolution et Contrôle
Author Profile
Ju-Duk Yoon
National Institute of Ecology
Author Profile
Gea-Jae Joo
Pusan National University
Author Profile
Hyunbin Jo
Busan Health University
Author Profile
Agustí Ruiz
Servei de Control de Mosquits, Consell Comarcal del Baix Llobregat
Author Profile
Marc Ventura
CEAB
Author Profile
Frederic Bartumeus
CEAB
Author Profile

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.