Abstract:
Understanding the dynamics of larval habitat utilization by mosquito
communities is crucial for the design of efficient environmental control strategies. The
authors investigated the structure of mosquito communities found at hotel compounds
in Zanzibar, networks of mosquito interactions with larval habitats and robustness of
mosquito communities to elimination of larval habitats. A total of 23 698 mosquitoes
comprising 26 species in six genera were found. Aedes aegypti (n = 16 207), Aedes
bromeliae/Aedes lillie (n = 1340), Culex quinquefasciatus (n = 1300) and Eretmapodites
quinquevitattus (n = 659) were the most dominant species. Ecological network analyses
revealed the presence of dominant, larval habitat generalist species (e.g., A. aegypti),
exploiting virtually all types of water holding containers and few larval habitat
specialist species (e.g., Aedes natalensis, Orthopodomyia spp). Simulations of mosquito
community robustness to systematic elimination of larval habitats indicate that mosquito
populations are highly sensitive to elimination of larval habitats sustaining higher
mosquito species diversity. This study provides insights on potential foci of future
mosquito-borne arboviral disease outbreaks in Zanzibar and underscores the need for
detailed knowledge on the ecological function of larval habitats for effective mosquito
control by larval sources management.
