Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.

Understanding mechanisms fostering coexistence between invasive and resident species is important in predicting ecological, economic, or health impacts of invasive species. The non-native mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus have been resident in the southeastern United States for ove...

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Main Authors: Paul T Leisnham, Shannon L LaDeau, Steven A Juliano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3951416?pdf=render
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author Paul T Leisnham
Shannon L LaDeau
Steven A Juliano
author_facet Paul T Leisnham
Shannon L LaDeau
Steven A Juliano
author_sort Paul T Leisnham
collection DOAJ
description Understanding mechanisms fostering coexistence between invasive and resident species is important in predicting ecological, economic, or health impacts of invasive species. The non-native mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus have been resident in the southeastern United States for over a century. They coexist at some urban sites with the more recent invasive Aedes albopictus, which is usually superior in interspecific competition. We tested predictions of temporal and spatial habitat segregation that foster coexistence of these resident species with the superior invasive competitor. We measured spatial and temporal patterns of site occupancy and abundance for all three species among standard oviposition traps in metropolitan Tampa, Florida. Consistent with the condition-specific competition hypothesis, A. albopictus and A. aegypti abundances were greater and C. quinquefasciatus abundance was lower late (September) versus early (June) in the rainy season, and the proportional increase of A. albopictus abundance was greater than that of A. aegypti. These results are postulated to result from greater dry-season egg mortality and associated greater rainy-season competitive superiority of larvae of A. albopictus, followed by A. aegypti, and C. quinquefasciatus. Spatial partitioning among landscape variables was also evident among species, with A. albopictus more likely to oviposit across a range of open grass landscapes whereas A. aegypti were mostly restricted to cemeteries. Culex quinquefasciatus showed a shift in abundance from cemeteries early in the rainy season to developed areas characterized by built environments with large proportions of impervious surfaces late in the rainy season, where A. albopictus was not in its highest abundance. These results suggest that both temporal and spatial variation, and their interaction, may contribute to local coexistence between Aedes and Culex mosquito species in urban areas.
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spelling doaj.art-a2c46e0f6cba4636b6733d269e5559d02022-12-22T01:15:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0193e9165510.1371/journal.pone.0091655Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.Paul T LeisnhamShannon L LaDeauSteven A JulianoUnderstanding mechanisms fostering coexistence between invasive and resident species is important in predicting ecological, economic, or health impacts of invasive species. The non-native mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus have been resident in the southeastern United States for over a century. They coexist at some urban sites with the more recent invasive Aedes albopictus, which is usually superior in interspecific competition. We tested predictions of temporal and spatial habitat segregation that foster coexistence of these resident species with the superior invasive competitor. We measured spatial and temporal patterns of site occupancy and abundance for all three species among standard oviposition traps in metropolitan Tampa, Florida. Consistent with the condition-specific competition hypothesis, A. albopictus and A. aegypti abundances were greater and C. quinquefasciatus abundance was lower late (September) versus early (June) in the rainy season, and the proportional increase of A. albopictus abundance was greater than that of A. aegypti. These results are postulated to result from greater dry-season egg mortality and associated greater rainy-season competitive superiority of larvae of A. albopictus, followed by A. aegypti, and C. quinquefasciatus. Spatial partitioning among landscape variables was also evident among species, with A. albopictus more likely to oviposit across a range of open grass landscapes whereas A. aegypti were mostly restricted to cemeteries. Culex quinquefasciatus showed a shift in abundance from cemeteries early in the rainy season to developed areas characterized by built environments with large proportions of impervious surfaces late in the rainy season, where A. albopictus was not in its highest abundance. These results suggest that both temporal and spatial variation, and their interaction, may contribute to local coexistence between Aedes and Culex mosquito species in urban areas.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3951416?pdf=render
spellingShingle Paul T Leisnham
Shannon L LaDeau
Steven A Juliano
Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.
PLoS ONE
title Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.
title_full Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.
title_fullStr Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.
title_full_unstemmed Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.
title_short Spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban Florida.
title_sort spatial and temporal habitat segregation of mosquitoes in urban florida
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3951416?pdf=render
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