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Colonization of ephemeral water bodies in the wheatbelt of Western Australia by assemblages of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae): role of environmental factors, habitat, and disturbance
Citation
Carver, SS and Spafford, H and Storey, A and Weinstein, P, Colonization of ephemeral water bodies in the wheatbelt of Western Australia by assemblages of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae): role of environmental factors, habitat, and disturbance, Environmental Entomology, 38, (6) pp. 1585-1594. ISSN 0046-225X (2009) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2009 Entomological Society of America
Official URL: http://www.entsoc.org/Pubs/Periodicals/EE
Abstract
Environmental disturbance may have direct and indirect impacts on organisms. We
studied the colonization of ephemeral water bodies by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Wheatbelt region of southwest Western Australia, an area substantially affected by an expanding anthropogenic salinization. Mosquitoes frequently colonized ephemeral water bodies, responded positively to rainfall, and populated smaller water bodies more densely than larger water bodies. We
found that the habitat characteristics of ephemeral water bodies changed in association with salinity. Consequently relationships between salinity and abundance of colonizing mosquitoes were direct (salinityÐmosquito) and indirect (salinityÐwater body characteristicsÐmosquito). Overall, the structure of mosquito assemblages changed with increasing salinity, favoring an increased regional distribution and abundance of Aedes camptorhynchus Thomson (Diptera: Culicidae), a vector of Ross river virus (RRV; Togoviridae: Alphavirus). We conclude secondary salinization in the Western Australia Wheatbelt results in enhanced vectorial potential for RRV transmission.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Ecology |
| Research Field: | Freshwater Ecology |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Ecosystem Assessment and Management |
| Objective Field: | Ecosystem Assessment and Management at Regional or Larger Scales |
| UTAS Author: | Carver, SS (Dr Scott Carver) |
| ID Code: | 80282 |
| Year Published: | 2009 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 12 |
| Deposited By: | Zoology |
| Deposited On: | 2012-10-26 |
| Last Modified: | 2012-11-12 |
| Downloads: | 2 View Download Statistics |
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