Amphibian predation on larval mosquitoes

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (10) ◽  
pp. 1159-1164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. DuRant ◽  
William A. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Least Square ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Mosquito Abundance ◽  
Natural Factors ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Eastern Mosquitofish ◽  
Salamander Species

Mosquitoes ( Culex pipiens L., 1758) are important vectors for diseases of both wildlife and humans. Understanding how natural factors influence mosquito abundance may provide insights into the ecology of various diseases, as well as solutions to controlling disease vectors. One of the natural factors regulating mosquito distributions and population sizes is predation. A poorly understood source of natural mosquito predation is amphibians. We determined the mosquito consumption capability of two amphibians, adult Red-spotted Newts ( Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens (Rafinesque, 1820)) and larval Mole Salamanders ( Ambystoma talpoideum (Holbrook, 1838)). We also compared mosquito consumption of eastern mosquitofish ( Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859), a known predator of mosquitoes, and A. talpoideum. Both salamander species were capable of consuming large numbers of mosquito larvae per day (least-square means ± 1 SE = 439 ± 20 and 316 ± 35 mosquitoes/day consumed by A. talpoideum and N. v. viridescens, respectively). In A. talpoideum, mosquito consumption scaled with body size, with the largest individual (4.4 g) ingesting 902 mosquitoes in 1 day. Gambusia holbrooki consumed 3.5× more mosquitoes during a 24 h feeding trial than similar-sized A. talpoideum. Our findings suggest that amphibians could have a substantial impact on mosquito larvae abundance, especially considering that amphibians can reach densities of up to 500 000 individuals/ha. Furthermore, we hypothesize that introduction of G. holbrooki could reduce abundances of native mosquito predators (e.g., salamanders) indirectly, through competition for invertebrate prey.

scholarly journals Eastern Mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, for Control of Mosquito Larvae

EDIS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Jon Cassiano ◽  
Jeffrey E. Hill ◽  
Quenton Tuckett ◽  
Craig A. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Native Fish ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Fact Sheet ◽  
Eastern Mosquitofish ◽  
Aquatic Sciences

Using native animal species, particularly fish, to reduce mosquito populations is popular in multiple states including Florida. This 5-page fact sheet written by Eric Jon Cassiano, Jeffrey Hill, Quenton Tuckett, and Craig Watson and published by the Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences within the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources explains how to use eastern mosquitofish to control mosquitoes. It also discusses other native fish species that may reduce mosquito populations. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa202

scholarly journals Different Hatching Rates of Floodwater Mosquitoes Aedes sticticus, Aedes rossicus and Aedes cinereus from Different Flooded Environments

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 279
Author(s):  
Anders Lindström ◽  
Disa Eklöf ◽  
Tobias Lilja
Keyword(s):  
Tap Water ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Retaining Structures ◽  
Retaining Structure ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Random Samples ◽  
Nuisance Species ◽  
Flooding Events ◽  
Hatching Rates

In the lower Dalälven region, floodwater mosquitoes cause recurring problems. The main nuisance species is Aedes (Ochlerotatus) sticticus, but large numbers of Aedes (Aedes) rossicus and Aedes (Aedes) cinereus also hatch during flooding events. To increase understanding of which environments in the area give rise to mosquito nuisance, soil samples were taken from 20 locations from four environmental categories: grazed meadows, mowed meadows, unkept open grassland areas and forest areas. In each location 20 soil samples were taken, 10 from random locations and 10 from moisture retaining structures, such as tussocks, shrubs, piles of leaves, logs, and roots. The soil samples were soaked with tap water in the lab, and mosquito larvae were collected and allowed to develop to adult mosquitoes for species identification. Fewer larvae hatched from mowed areas and more larvae hatched from moisture retaining structure samples than random samples. The results showed that Aedes cinereus mostly hatch from grazed and unkept areas and hatched as much from random samples as from structures, whereas Aedes sticticus and Aedes rossicus hatched from open unkept and forest areas and hatch significantly more from structure samples. When the moisture retaining structures in open unkept areas where Aedes sticticus hatched were identified it was clear that they hatched predominantly from willow shrubs that offered shade. The results suggest that Ae. sticticus and Ae. cinereus favor different flooded environments for oviposition.

Life History Changes in Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) Induced by Thermal Elevation

1991 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary K. Meffe
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Life History ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Genetic Changes ◽  
Thermal Death ◽  
Reproductive Biomass ◽  
Eastern Mosquitofish

Much light can be shed on life history evolution through study of responses of organisms to chronic exposure to a novel or perturbed environment. To determine the influence of 28 yr of temporally unpredictable thermal elevation on their life history patterns, I sampled eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) from a thermally elevated (outflow from a nuclear reactor) and an ambient (farm pond) habitat in South Carolina every month for 2 yr. Fish from the artificially heated environment reproduced all year, had higher reproductive investments (higher clutch sizes and reproductive biomass), and smaller offspring than did fish from the ambient environment, which ceased reproduction from October through March, typical for natural populations of the region. Likely environmental factors responsible for these differences include unpredictable food resources, higher mortality from thermal death, and higher predation by fishes and birds in the heated waters. The extent to which these life history alterations are the result of adaptive genetic changes versus phenotypically plastic responses remains to be tested.

scholarly journals Determining asymptotically large population sizes in insect swarms

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (99) ◽  
pp. 20140710 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Puckett ◽  
Nicholas T. Ouellette
Keyword(s):  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Strong Constraint ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Multi Agent

Social animals commonly form aggregates that exhibit emergent collective behaviour, with group dynamics that are distinct from the behaviour of individuals. Simple models can qualitatively reproduce such behaviour, but only with large numbers of individuals. But how rapidly do the collective properties of animal aggregations in nature emerge with group size? Here, we study swarms of Chironomus riparius midges and measure how their statistical properties change as a function of the number of participating individuals. Once the swarms contain order 10 individuals, we find that all statistics saturate and the swarms enter an asymptotic regime. The influence of environmental cues on the swarm morphology decays on a similar scale. Our results provide a strong constraint on how rapidly swarm models must produce collective states. But our findings support the feasibility of using swarms as a design template for multi-agent systems, because self-organized states are possible even with few agents.

Lipid Dynamics during Reproduction in Two Livebearing Fishes, Gambusia holbrooki and Poecilia latipinna

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 2185-2191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary K. Meffe ◽  
Franklin F. Snelson Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Content ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Energy Allocation ◽  
Metabolic Efficiency ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Poecilia Latipinna ◽  
Lipid Dynamics ◽  
Sailfin Molly ◽  
Eastern Mosquitofish

In animals, strategies of energy allocation among growth, maintenance and reproduction can be significantly altered by lipid storage. Poeciliid (livebearing) fishes store energy in late summer and fall for overwintering and first reproduction in spring, but details of energy use in reproduction are lacking. We conducted a laboratory experiment on the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) and the sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna) to document changes in lipid content in both the ovary and soma during development of a brood. In females of both species, ovarian lipid content was highest early in embryogeny and then declined; adult somatic lipids increased (were replenished) during embryonic development in mosquitofish, but declined in mollies. Larger clutches sequestered a larger share of body lipids in both species, possibly indicating energetic limits to reproduction. Finally, growth rate was positively correlated with somatic lipid content in both species, indicating among-individual differences in metabolic efficiency or feeding efficiency rather than a trade-off between growth and energy storage.

scholarly journals First record of Siamese twins in Eastern Mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki (Girard 1859)

Limnetica ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Raquel Moreno-Valcárcel ◽  
Ana Ruiz-Navarro ◽  
Mar Torralva ◽  
Francisco José Oliva-Paterna
Keyword(s):  
First Record ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Siamese Twins ◽  
Eastern Mosquitofish

Talent management and organizational sustainability: role of sustainable behaviour

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Mujtaba ◽  
Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Talent Management ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Organizational Sustainability ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to examine the role of talent management (TM) in improving organizational sustainability (OS). The study also investigates employees’ sustainable behaviour (SB) in achieving three-dimensional sustainability goals (i.e. economic, social and environmental). Design/methodology/approach This study focused on medium and large-scale manufacturing firms, whereas the sample size was 196 firms. Data was collected through close-ended questionnaires using the cluster sampling technique. The partial least square-structural equation modelling was used to estimate the modelled relationships. Findings Results show a significant direct impact of TM on OS. Likewise, the results also show a substantial impact of all three dimensions of TM (acquisition, development and retention) on OS. Results confirm that employees’ SB positively mediates between TM and OS. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. The study’s findings imply that TM strategies are an indispensable source of sustainability to attract, develop and retain talented employees in the situation of talent shortage. Moreover, sustainable employees’ behaviour is also depicted as a positive role between TM and OS because sustainable success is not only required the expertize of employees, but it also needs the dedication of employees. Practical implications This study enhances the understanding of TM’s role in improving the OS. The findings imply that a firm should consider TM as the apex strategy for elevating the performance. Findings also reveal the need to adopt a comprehensive strategy or system to manage the talent of an organization. Originality/value Linking the TM with OS and SB is the novelty of the study.

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