Evaluating Habitat Type and Height Effects on Mosquito Diversity and Abundance in Silver Springs State Park

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32473/ufjur.27.138548

Keywords:

Mosquitoes, Vertical stratification, land use, Silver Springs State Park, vector ecology

Abstract

The present study was conducted at the Silver Springs State Park (SSSP) (Florida, United States), a protected area for biodiversity in which the mosquito (Diptera, Culicidae) fauna is unknown. Mosquitoes can act as vectors of pathogens and present dangers to both humans’ and animals’ health. In July 2024, mosquitoes were collected at 10 sites at ground and canopy levels using resting traps and BG sentinel 2 traps (BGS2 traps). Mosquito species diversity, abundance, and abundance of dominant species were analyzed and compared between habitat types and trap height using generalized linear mixed effects models. A total of 2,085 mosquitoes encompassing 5 genera and 19 species were collected. Among female mosquitoes, species diversity and average number of mosquitoes collected varied by habitat type, and trap height. Culex nigripalpus (Cx. nigriplapus), Aedes infirmatus (Ae. infirmatus), and Psorophora ferox (Ps. ferox) were the dominant species, with the BGS2 traps collecting the highest numbers at ground level, except for Cx. nigripalpus, which was more prevalent in the canopy. Mosquitoes were more abundant in the unmanaged area of the park. The presence of mosquito vector species at SSSP and that of both native and non-native animal species can act as reservoirs of mosquito-borne diseases may represent a risk for spillover or spillback events.  

Accessibility Summary:

In accordance with Title II regulations this content meets all points of exemption as Archived web content and/or Preexisting conventional electronic documents.

Author Biographies

Timothy Daniel McNamara, University of Florida

Entomology and Nematology Department 

Post-doctoral fellow

Estelle Maya Martin, University of Florida

Entomology and Nematology Department

Assistant Professor

My research interests are related to arthropod-borne viruses, which are causing emerging and re-emerging public health issues in many countries. In particular, I am interested in mosquito-virus interactions in order to investigate different aspects related to mosquito-borne diseases. Using a combination of molecular biology and experimental approaches, my work focuses on understanding how virus evolution can lead to virus emergence, how viral symbionts can influence disease transmission, mosquito susceptibility and immune response to viral infections as well as the relationship between virus infection and fitness cost. Despite an increasing toolbox to fight arboviral diseases, basic knowledge of local mosquito populations and efficiency of vector control tools is missing in order to perform targeted and efficient intervention. Therefore, I have recently developed an interest in applied research to reduce the risk of disease introduction and/or burden.

The goal of the lab is to reduce the global burden of vector-borne diseases in human populations through a better overall understanding of the biology and ecology of mosquitoes and of virus-vector interactions. Vector-borne diseases have long been restricted to tropical and subtropical areas but in the recent years, some “exotic” viruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus have been responsible for locally acquired disease in more temperate zones. In the absence of effective vaccines, the control of these diseases relies mainly on vector control. Recently a group of viruses, known as insect specific viruses (ISVs) has gain some interest due to their potential as a new biological control methods.

Downloads

Published

2025-11-05

Issue

Vol. 27 (2025): UF JUR

Section

STEM & Medicine

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Angely Galvez, Timothy Daniel McNamara, Estelle Maya Martin

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Some journals stipulate that submitted articles cannot be under consideration for publication or published in another journal. The student-author and mentor have the option of determining which journal the paper will be submitted to first. UF JUR accepts papers that have been published in other journals or might be published in the future. It is the responsibility of the student-author and mentor to determine whether another journal will accept a paper that has been published in UF JUR.