Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.

Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto is the most important vector of malaria in Africa although relatively little is known about the density-dependent processes determining its population size. Mosquito larval density was manipulated under semi-natural conditions using artificial larval breeding sites pl...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Muriu, S, Coulson, T, Mbogo, C, Godfray, H
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2013
_version_ 1797052481910341632
author Muriu, S
Coulson, T
Mbogo, C
Godfray, H
author_facet Muriu, S
Coulson, T
Mbogo, C
Godfray, H
author_sort Muriu, S
collection OXFORD
description Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto is the most important vector of malaria in Africa although relatively little is known about the density-dependent processes determining its population size. Mosquito larval density was manipulated under semi-natural conditions using artificial larval breeding sites placed in the field in coastal Kenya; two experiments were conducted: one manipulating the density of a single cohort of larvae across a range of densities and the other employing fewer densities but with the treatments crossed with four treatments manipulating predator access. In the first experiment, larval survival, development rate and the size of the adult mosquito all decreased with larval density (controlling for block effects between 23% and 31% of the variance in the data could be explained by density). In the second experiment, the effects of predator manipulation were not significant, but again we observed strong density dependence in larval survival (explaining 30% of the variance). The results are compared with laboratory studies of A. gambiae larval competition and the few other studies conducted in the field, and the consequences for malaria control are discussed.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T18:32:12Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:0a051cc7-9aaf-4607-8e00-d95eeb47cefd
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T18:32:12Z
publishDate 2013
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:0a051cc7-9aaf-4607-8e00-d95eeb47cefd2022-03-26T09:21:31ZLarval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:0a051cc7-9aaf-4607-8e00-d95eeb47cefdEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2013Muriu, SCoulson, TMbogo, CGodfray, HAnopheles gambiae sensu stricto is the most important vector of malaria in Africa although relatively little is known about the density-dependent processes determining its population size. Mosquito larval density was manipulated under semi-natural conditions using artificial larval breeding sites placed in the field in coastal Kenya; two experiments were conducted: one manipulating the density of a single cohort of larvae across a range of densities and the other employing fewer densities but with the treatments crossed with four treatments manipulating predator access. In the first experiment, larval survival, development rate and the size of the adult mosquito all decreased with larval density (controlling for block effects between 23% and 31% of the variance in the data could be explained by density). In the second experiment, the effects of predator manipulation were not significant, but again we observed strong density dependence in larval survival (explaining 30% of the variance). The results are compared with laboratory studies of A. gambiae larval competition and the few other studies conducted in the field, and the consequences for malaria control are discussed.
spellingShingle Muriu, S
Coulson, T
Mbogo, C
Godfray, H
Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.
title Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.
title_full Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.
title_fullStr Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.
title_full_unstemmed Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.
title_short Larval density dependence in Anopheles gambiae s.s., the major African vector of malaria.
title_sort larval density dependence in anopheles gambiae s s the major african vector of malaria
work_keys_str_mv AT murius larvaldensitydependenceinanophelesgambiaessthemajorafricanvectorofmalaria
AT coulsont larvaldensitydependenceinanophelesgambiaessthemajorafricanvectorofmalaria
AT mbogoc larvaldensitydependenceinanophelesgambiaessthemajorafricanvectorofmalaria
AT godfrayh larvaldensitydependenceinanophelesgambiaessthemajorafricanvectorofmalaria