Dataset Information

Mosquitoes in urban green spaces: using an island biogeographic approach to identify drivers of species richness and composition.

ABSTRACT: Mosquitoes are well known for their epidemiological importance as vectors of a wide range of human pathogens. Despite the many studies on medically important species, little is known about the diversity patterns of these insects in urban green spaces, which serve as shelter and refuge for many native and invasive species. Here, we investigate drivers of mosquito richness and composition in nine urban parks in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Using the equilibrium theory of island biogeography, we tested predictive models for species richness and composition and performed nestedness analysis. We also investigated whether species loss tends to benefit vector mosquitoes. In the period 2011 to 2013, a total of 37,972 mosquitoes belonging to 73 species and 14 genera were collected. Our results suggest there is a species-area relationship, an increase in species similarity as richness is lost and a nested species composition pattern. Seven of the eight most commonly found species are considered vectors of human pathogens, suggesting a possible link between species loss and increased risk of pathogen transmission. Our data highlight the need for studies that seek to understand how species loss may affect the risk of infectious diseases in urban areas.

SUBMITTER: Medeiros-Sousa AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5736758 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mosquitoes in urban green spaces: using an island biogeographic approach to identify drivers of species richness and composition.

Medeiros-Sousa Antônio Ralph AR Fernandes Aristides A Ceretti-Junior Walter W Wilke André Barreto Bruno ABB Marrelli Mauro Toledo MT

Scientific reports 20171219 1

Mosquitoes are well known for their epidemiological importance as vectors of a wide range of human pathogens. Despite the many studies on medically important species, little is known about the diversity patterns of these insects in urban green spaces, which serve as shelter and refuge for many native and invasive species. Here, we investigate drivers of mosquito richness and composition in nine urban parks in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Using the equilibrium theory of island biogeography, we ...[more]

PMID: 29259304

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Project description:BackgroundUrban green spaces are important for human health, but they may expose visitors to tick-borne diseases. This not only presents a potential public health challenge but also undermines the expected public health gains from urban green spaces. The aim of this study is to assess the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in an urban green space used for recreation in Stockholm, Sweden.MethodsWe used a mixed method approach identifying both the magnitude of the tick hazard and the extent of the human exposure to tick-borne diseases. At six entry points to an urban green space, we sampled ticks and documented microhabitat conditions from five randomly assigned 2 m × 2 m plots. Surrounding habitat data was analyzed using geographical information system (GIS). Nymphs and adult ticks were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum using TaqMan qPCR. Positive B. burgdorferi (s.l.) ticks were further analyzed by nested PCR amplification and sequence analysis. Population census data and visitor count data were used to estimate the degree of human exposure to tick-borne diseases. To further understand the degree to which visitors get in contact with infected ticks we also conducted interviews with visitors to green spaces.ResultsHigh tick densities were commonly found in humid broadleaved forest with low field vegetation. High pathogen prevalence was significantly correlated with increasing proportions of artificial areas. Integrating the tick hazard with human exposure we found that the public health risk of tick-borne diseases was moderate to high at most of the studied entry points. Many of the visitors frequently used urban green spaces. Walking was the most common activity, but visitors also engaged in activities with higher risk for tick encounters. Individual protective measures were connected to specific recreational activities such as picking berries or mushrooms.ConclusionsThe number of visitors can be combined with tick inventory data and molecular analyses of pathogen prevalence to make crude estimations of the public health risk of tick-borne diseases in urban green spaces. The risk of encountering infected ticks is omnipresent during recreational activities in urban green spaces, highlighting the need for public health campaigns to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases.

Dataset Information

Mosquitoes in urban green spaces: using an island biogeographic approach to identify drivers of species richness and composition.

Publications

Mosquitoes in urban green spaces: using an island biogeographic approach to identify drivers of species richness and composition.

Similar Datasets

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