Colonization patterns and life-history dynamics of Culex mosquitoes in artificial ponds of different character

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 568-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Dudley Williams ◽  
Annette Tavares-Cromar ◽  
Donn J. Kushner ◽  
John R. Coleman

The relationship between the biology and habitat of larval mosquitoes was studied in a series of artificial ponds of differing characteristics established across a terrestrial vegetation gradient from open fields to deep woods. The ponds were uniformly colonized by two widespread species of Culex, both characteristic of small bodies of water, including artificial, "container" habitats. First-instar larvae of Culex restuans were found within 2 days of filling the ponds with water and four or five generations were produced from May until the end of September. One very long generation occurred in July, which corresponded to maximum larval densities. Overall, there was a strong relationship between larval development time of C. restuans and larval density. A few larvae of Culex pipiens pipiens occurred sporadically throughout the summer, but numbers did not increase until C. restuans populations began to wane in late July. Thereafter two, or possibly three, generations were produced into the autumn. The patterns of colonization, synchrony of life history, and growth of these two species were remarkably consistent amongst the ponds, despite considerable variation in both their physical and biological environments (e.g., over the 2 years of study, conductivity ranged from 20 to 890 μS, pH from 6.4 to 10.7, dissolved oxygen from 0 to 13.5 ppm, and water temperature from 5 to 29.8 °C). Density of C. restuans was related to water temperature and pH at the "open" site and to water temperature, dissolved oxygen, percent algae, and percent detritus at the "edge of the woods" site. At the "deep woods" site, larval numbers were related to temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. At both the edge and deep wood sites, larval development time of C. restuans increased with mean water temperature to 20 °C. Above this temperature, larval development time tended to decrease.

2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 505-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittny M Jones ◽  
Jeffery K Tomberlin

Abstract The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.), is economically important due to its use in waste management and as an alternative protein source for livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. While industry promotes mass production of the black soldier fly, little is known about the impact of larval competition on development time, resulting immature and adult weight, or adult longevity. The goal of this research was to examine the life-history traits of black soldier flies when reared at four densities (500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 larvae/4-liter container) provided 54-g Gainesville diet at 70% moisture (feed rates of 0.027, 0.036, 0.054, and 0.108 g) every other day. Results were as expected with the lowest larval density (500) producing heavier individuals (by 26%) than the greatest larval density (2,000) across all life stages. In addition to weights, larvae reared at the lowest density developed 63% faster than those reared at the greatest density. In regard to pupal development time, those reared at the lowest larval density developed 3% slower than the greatest density. A 21% difference between the two extreme densities was found in survivorship to prepupal stage, with the lowest larval density having the greatest survivorship (92%) compared with the greatest larval density (70%). All densities displayed over 90% adult emergence rates. Such information is vital for optimization of the process of converting waste products to protein at an industrial scale with the black soldier fly.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meltem Kökdener ◽  
Filiz Kiper

Abstract Larval density is an important factor modulating larval resource-acquisition, influencing development of insects. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of larval density and substrate content on some life-history parameters of Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Muscidae). This research was carried out from March 2019 through September 2019 at Animal Physiology Laboratory of Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey. Groups of 25, 100, 200, and 400 newly hatched M. domestica larvae were transferred to a polyethylene cup filled with different substrates (i.e., wheat bran, poultry meal, soybean meal) and kept at 25°C, 62% RH with a photoperiod of 12:12 (L:D) h. A two-way analysis of variance (Two way ANOVA) was used to analyze the data on the percentage of pupal and larval survival development time, pupal, and adult weight to evaluate the effect of density and rearing substrate. In this study, increasing larval density and nutrient content of food led to changes in the larval and pupal development time of M. domestica. The results also indicated that the weight of pupae and adult survival was negatively affected by increasing larval density. The wheat bran diet was superior to the other diets for all parameters tested. Our study indicated that life history parameters of Musca domestica are affected by the rearing conditions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 2383-2390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wadaka Mamai ◽  
Leanne N Lobb ◽  
Nanwintoum S Bimbilé Somda ◽  
Hamidou Maiga ◽  
Hanano Yamada ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. i79-i90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brady K. Quinn ◽  
Rémy Rochette

Abstract Studies typically assess the effects of temperature on development time, larval drift, and fisheries recruitment in American lobster at a range of constant temperatures. However, in nature, lobster larvae are exposed to varying temperatures, which might result in different development times than would be predicted from mean temperatures alone. To investigate this hypothesis, we conducted a modelling exercise in which we simulated larval development from hatch through stages I–IV under different combinations of mean and variance in temperature. Two thermal scenarios were modelled, the first based on estimated (i.e. interpolated by a model from empirical data) recent historical mean and variability of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) experienced by developing larvae in specific parts of the species' range, and the second based on a broad range of simulated combinations of mean and variability in temperature, including conditions that may be experienced by larvae in the future. The model calculated development times using daily SSTs and temperature-dependent development equations from previous studies of warm- and cold-water origin larvae. For warm-origin larvae, higher variability in temperature resulted in shorter development times at very cold and very warm mean temperatures, and longer development at intermediate mean temperatures, than lower (or no) variability. For cold-origin larvae, the effect of variable temperature was overall much smaller, and opposite to that for warm-origin larvae at very cold and very warm mean temperatures. These results show that lobster larvae experience meaningful variability of water temperature in nature, and that this variability can markedly impact larval development. Thermal variability therefore should be considered when estimating development and drift of lobster larvae, including under scenarios of climate change.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliano Morimoto ◽  
Anh The Than ◽  
Binh Nguyen ◽  
Ida Lundback ◽  
Hue Dinh ◽  
...  

Habitat quality early in life determines individual fitness, with possible long-term evolutionary effects on groups and populations. In holometabolous insects, larval ecology plays a major role in determining the expression of traits in adulthood, but how ecological conditions during larval stage interact to shape adult life-history and fitness, particularly in non-model organisms, remains subject to scrutiny. Consequently, our knowledge of the interactive effects of ecological factors on insect development is limited. Here, using the polyphagous fly Bactrocera tryoni, we conducted a fully-factorial design where we manipulated larval density and larval diet (protein-rich, standard, and sugar-rich) to gain insights into how these ecological factors interact to modulate adult fitness. As expected, a protein-rich diet resulted in faster larval development, heavier and leaner adults that were more fecund compared with standard and sugar-rich diets, irrespective of larval density. Females from the protein-rich larval diet had overall higher reproductive rate (i.e., eggs per day) than females from other diets, and reproductive rate decreased linearly with density for females from the protein-rich but non-linearly for females from the standard and sugar-rich diets over time. Surprisingly, adult lipid reserve increased with larval density for adults from the sugar-rich diet (as opposed to decreasing, as in other diets), possibly due to a stress-response to an extremely adverse condition during development (i.e., high intraspecific competition and poor nutrition). Together, our results provide insights into how ecological factors early in life interact and shape the fate of individuals through life-stages in holometabolous insects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-140
Author(s):  
D. Dzepe ◽  
P. Nana ◽  
A. Fotso ◽  
T. Tchuinkam ◽  
R. Djouaka

Performance and body composition of insect larvae depend on quality and quantity of their diet, and on biotic factors such as larval density. Experiments were undertaken to assess the effects of larval density, substrate moisture content and feedstock ratio on larval life history parameters of black soldier fly (BSF) in the laboratory. Four-day-old larvae were separately reared under six different densities (1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 larvae/cm2) and at five substrate moisture content levels (40, 50, 60, 70 and 80%) obtained by moistening feed with fresh water. Five feedstock ratios of 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg of feed per larva per day were also tested. Each treatment had four replicates and used commercial chicken feed as substrate. Results showed that individual larval feed reduction, wet weight, survival rate, body size and body thickness had a negative correlation with rearing densities, while larval development time correlated positively. The increase in substrate moisture content has significantly affected the larval feed reduction, wet weight, development time, body size and body thickness of the larvae. On the other hand, the survival rate was not significantly affected. The larvae subjected to diet 150 mg/larva/day showed a highest individual wet weight (0.19±0.003 g), body size (20.55±0.335 mm) and body thickness (4.982±0.081 mm). Their recorded development time was relatively short (11.25±0.500 days), compared to the other. The larval survival rate was not significantly affected by the feedstock ratio. This study indicates that larval life history parameters of BSF are influenced by the rearing conditions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Irma Pulukadan ◽  
Rene Ch Keppel ◽  
Grevo S Gerung

Alga is a marine resource of potential to fisheries and marine sector. It has an important economic value to promote the economy in Indonesia. Nowdays, algae have been used as a relatively high value fisheries commodity since it has been used for food, industrial, pharmaceutical and cosmetic raw materials. This important potential needs to be supported with understanding of its biology and ecology, so that its utilization could increase the livelihood of the coastal villagers. This study was aimed at inventorying and identifying the members of genus Caulerpa found in North Minahasa Regency waters and studying some biological and ecological aspects of the algae in the area. Resuls showed that there were 7 species recorded, Caulerpa racemosa, C. racemosa var. macrophysa, C. sertularioides, C. taxifolia, C. serrulata,C. lentillifera and C. peltata. Ecologically, the environmental parameters, such as water temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, were in tolerable ranges for algal growth. Bottom substrate supported the growth of genus Caulerpa as well© Saat ini alga dijadikan sebagai komoditas hasil perikanan dengan nilai ekonomis yang relatif tinggi karena manfaatnya sebagai bahan makanan serta bahan baku industri, farmasi, dan kosmetik. Potensi yang cukup penting ini harus ditunjang dengan ilmu pengetahuan tentang biologi dan ekologi dari alga laut, sehingga pemanfaatannya dapat meningkatkan taraf hidup masyarakat pesisir. Penelitian tentang kajian bioekologi alga makro genus Caulerpa di perairan Minahasa Utara ini dilaksanakan dan diharapkan dapat memberikan informasi ilmiah tentang bioekologi alga makro genus Caulerpa, sehingga dapat dimanfaatkan untuk pengembangan pemanfaatan bagi kepentingan masyarakat pesisir khususnya dan industri alga makro umumnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menginventarisasi dan mengidentifikasi alga makro genus Caulerpa di perairan Kabupaten Minahasa Utara, dan mengkaji aspek bioekologinya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ditemukan 7 spesies, yaitu Caulerpa racemosa, C. racemosa var. macrophysa, C. sertularioides, C. taxifolia, C. serrulata, C. lentillifera dan C. peltata. Parameter lingkungan seperti suhu, salinitas, pH, oksigen terlarut, tingkat kecerahan air berada pada kisaran yang dapat ditolerir untuk pertumbuhan alga makro, sedangkan substrat juga mendukung pertumbuhan alga makro ini©


Author(s):  
Mohammad Ashaf-Ud-Doulah ◽  
S. M. Majharul Islam ◽  
Md Mahiuddin Zahangir ◽  
Md Sadiqul Islam ◽  
Christopher Brown ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nwamaka Oluchukwu Akpodiete ◽  
Frédéric Tripet

Abstract Background Malaria vector control approaches that rely on mosquito releases such as the sterile insect technique (SIT) and suppression or replacement strategies relying on genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM) depend on effective mass production of Anopheles mosquitoes. Anophelines typically require relatively clean larval rearing water, and water management techniques that minimise toxic ammonia are key to achieving optimal rearing conditions in small and large rearing facilities. Zeolites are extensively used in closed-system fish aquaculture to improve water quality and reduce water consumption, thanks to their selective adsorption of ammonia and toxic heavy metals. The many advantages of zeolites include low cost, abundance in many parts of the world and environmental friendliness. However, so far, their potential benefit for mosquito rearing has not been evaluated. Methods This study evaluated the independent effects of zeolite and daily water changes (to simulate a continuous flow system) on the rearing of An. coluzzii under two feed regimes (powder and slurry feed) and larval densities (200 and 400 larvae per tray). The duration of larval development, adult emergence success and phenotypic quality (body size) were recorded to assess the impact of water treatments on mosquito numbers, phenotypic quality and identification of optimal feeding regimes and larval density for the use of zeolite. Results Overall, mosquito emergence, duration of development and adult phenotypic quality were significantly better in treatments with daily water changes. In treatments without daily water changes, zeolite significantly improved water quality at the lower larval rearing density, resulting in higher mosquito emergence and shorter development time. At the lower larval rearing density, the adult phenotypic quality did not significantly differ between zeolite treatment without water changes and those with daily changes. Conclusions These results suggest that treating rearing water with zeolite can improve mosquito production in smaller facilities. Zeolite could also offer cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for water recycling management systems in larger production facilities. Further studies are needed to optimise and assess the costs and benefits of such applications to Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) mosquito-rearing programmes. Graphic abstract


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