Interactive effects of dragonfly larvae and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis on mosquito oviposition and survival

Gordian Rocky Mataba; Nicholas William Clark; Eliningaya J. Kweka; Linus Munishi; Luc Brendonck; Bram Vanschoenwinkel

doi:10.1002/ecs2.4653

Interactive effects of dragonfly larvae and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis on mosquito oviposition and survival

Gordian Rocky Mataba, Nicholas William Clark, Eliningaya J. Kweka, Linus Munishi, Luc Brendonck, Bram Vanschoenwinkel

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Abstract

The biological larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) is used worldwide to control reproduction of mosquitoes in freshwater habitats. However, its impact on the ecosystem including nontarget species is often unclear. In addition, it is unknown how Bti larvicide may interact with local mosquito predators to shape oviposition site selection of mosquitoes. We used an outdoor mesocosm experiment to investigate the effects of realistic concentrations of the bio-larvicide Bti on Culex oviposition, larval density, survivorship, and on densities of nontarget species. We also manipulated the complexity of the community by manipulating the presence of dragonfly larvae as a predator. Culex oviposition was unaffected by Bti but the larvicide effectively reduced larval density and survivorship in all treatments. Bti did not affect nontarget insects but stimulated phytoplankton density at the expense of lower herbivore density. The presence of dragonfly larvae in mesocosms did not reduce Culex oviposition or larval sensitivity to Bti. We conclude that Bti may effectively reduce the density and survivorship of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in this part of East Africa, but possibly at the cost of higher phytoplankton densities. Bti-treated mesocosms were not more or less attractive for mosquitoes, suggesting that its application would not alter their oviposition behavior in the field.

Original language	English
Article number	e4653
Pages (from-to)	1-17
Journal	Ecosphere
Volume	14
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4653
Publication status	Published - Sept 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors thank the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) for granting a plot on which the experiment was conducted. The research was supported by funding from VLIR-IUC Programme at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), under grant number TZ2019IUC029A101, and the program “sustainable management of natural resources to the benefit of local communities of northern Tanzania.”

Funding Information:
The authors thank the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) for granting a plot on which the experiment was conducted. The research was supported by funding from VLIR‐IUC Programme at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM‐AIST), under grant number TZ2019IUC029A101, and the program “sustainable management of natural resources to the benefit of local communities of northern Tanzania.”

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Ecosphere published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America.

Keywords

Bti
Culex quinquefasciatus
oviposition habitat selection
pesticide
Tanzania

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title = "Interactive effects of dragonfly larvae and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis on mosquito oviposition and survival",

abstract = "The biological larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) is used worldwide to control reproduction of mosquitoes in freshwater habitats. However, its impact on the ecosystem including nontarget species is often unclear. In addition, it is unknown how Bti larvicide may interact with local mosquito predators to shape oviposition site selection of mosquitoes. We used an outdoor mesocosm experiment to investigate the effects of realistic concentrations of the bio-larvicide Bti on Culex oviposition, larval density, survivorship, and on densities of nontarget species. We also manipulated the complexity of the community by manipulating the presence of dragonfly larvae as a predator. Culex oviposition was unaffected by Bti but the larvicide effectively reduced larval density and survivorship in all treatments. Bti did not affect nontarget insects but stimulated phytoplankton density at the expense of lower herbivore density. The presence of dragonfly larvae in mesocosms did not reduce Culex oviposition or larval sensitivity to Bti. We conclude that Bti may effectively reduce the density and survivorship of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in this part of East Africa, but possibly at the cost of higher phytoplankton densities. Bti-treated mesocosms were not more or less attractive for mosquitoes, suggesting that its application would not alter their oviposition behavior in the field.",

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note = "Funding Information: The authors thank the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) for granting a plot on which the experiment was conducted. The research was supported by funding from VLIR-IUC Programme at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), under grant number TZ2019IUC029A101, and the program “sustainable management of natural resources to the benefit of local communities of northern Tanzania.” Funding Information: The authors thank the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) for granting a plot on which the experiment was conducted. The research was supported by funding from VLIR‐IUC Programme at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM‐AIST), under grant number TZ2019IUC029A101, and the program “sustainable management of natural resources to the benefit of local communities of northern Tanzania.” Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors. Ecosphere published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America.",

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AU - Vanschoenwinkel, Bram

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M1 - e4653

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Interactive effects of dragonfly larvae and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis on mosquito oviposition and survival

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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