Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities
Urbanization has been associated with a loss of overall biodiversity and a simultaneous increase in the abundance of a few species that thrive in urban habitats, such as highly adaptable mosquito vectors. To better understand how mosquito communities differ between levels of urbanization, we analyze...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/5/374 |
| _version_ | 1797536857428328448 |
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| author | Nadja Pernat Helge Kampen Jonathan M. Jeschke Doreen Werner |
| author_facet | Nadja Pernat Helge Kampen Jonathan M. Jeschke Doreen Werner |
| author_sort | Nadja Pernat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urbanization has been associated with a loss of overall biodiversity and a simultaneous increase in the abundance of a few species that thrive in urban habitats, such as highly adaptable mosquito vectors. To better understand how mosquito communities differ between levels of urbanization, we analyzed mosquito samples from inside private homes submitted to the citizen science project ‘Mückenatlas’. Applying two urbanization indicators based on soil sealing and human population density, we compared species composition and diversity at, and preferences towards, different urbanization levels. Species composition between groups of lowest and highest levels of urbanization differed significantly, which was presumably caused by reduced species richness and the dominance of synanthropic mosquito species in urban areas. The genus <i>Anopheles</i> was frequently submitted from areas with a low degree of urbanization, <i>Aedes</i> with a moderate degree, and <i>Culex</i> and <i>Culiseta</i> with a high degree of urbanization. Making use of citizen science data, this first study of indoor mosquito diversity in Germany demonstrated a simplification of communities with increasing urbanization. The dominance of vector-competent species in urban areas poses a potential risk of epidemics of mosquito-borne diseases that can only be contained by a permanent monitoring of mosquitoes and by acquiring a deeper knowledge about how anthropogenic activities affect vector ecology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:06:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72cb28b5029a4e18923d3ccc19074b47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:06:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-72cb28b5029a4e18923d3ccc19074b472023-11-21T16:32:17ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-04-0112537410.3390/insects12050374Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito CommunitiesNadja Pernat0Helge Kampen1Jonathan M. Jeschke2Doreen Werner3Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, GermanyFriedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, GermanyInstitute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Str. 1–3, 14195 Berlin, GermanyLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, GermanyUrbanization has been associated with a loss of overall biodiversity and a simultaneous increase in the abundance of a few species that thrive in urban habitats, such as highly adaptable mosquito vectors. To better understand how mosquito communities differ between levels of urbanization, we analyzed mosquito samples from inside private homes submitted to the citizen science project ‘Mückenatlas’. Applying two urbanization indicators based on soil sealing and human population density, we compared species composition and diversity at, and preferences towards, different urbanization levels. Species composition between groups of lowest and highest levels of urbanization differed significantly, which was presumably caused by reduced species richness and the dominance of synanthropic mosquito species in urban areas. The genus <i>Anopheles</i> was frequently submitted from areas with a low degree of urbanization, <i>Aedes</i> with a moderate degree, and <i>Culex</i> and <i>Culiseta</i> with a high degree of urbanization. Making use of citizen science data, this first study of indoor mosquito diversity in Germany demonstrated a simplification of communities with increasing urbanization. The dominance of vector-competent species in urban areas poses a potential risk of epidemics of mosquito-borne diseases that can only be contained by a permanent monitoring of mosquitoes and by acquiring a deeper knowledge about how anthropogenic activities affect vector ecology.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/5/374biodiversitycitizen scienceepidemiologymosquitoesurbanization |
| spellingShingle | Nadja Pernat Helge Kampen Jonathan M. Jeschke Doreen Werner Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities Insects biodiversity citizen science epidemiology mosquitoes urbanization |
| title | Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities |
| title_full | Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities |
| title_fullStr | Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities |
| title_short | Buzzing Homes: Using Citizen Science Data to Explore the Effects of Urbanization on Indoor Mosquito Communities |
| title_sort | buzzing homes using citizen science data to explore the effects of urbanization on indoor mosquito communities |
| topic | biodiversity citizen science epidemiology mosquitoes urbanization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/5/374 |
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