The Ecological Relationship Between Pistia Stratiotes, Hydrocotyle Ranunculoides and Mansonia Spp (Diptera Culicidae) in Sarasota County

Date of Award

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

McCord, Elzie

Keywords

Water Lettuce, Pistia Stratiotes, Eutrophication, Sarasota County, Pennywort, Mosquitoes, West Nile Virus, Invasive Exotic, Lakes, Canals, Water Quality, Mansonia Spp.

Area of Concentration

Entomology

Abstract

A four month qualitative entomological study was carried out in Sarasota County to identify and determine seasonal abundance of Mansonia spp. mosquitoes associated with water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes). In total, 11,373 mosquitoes belonging to 7 genera and 14 species were collected from CO2/ light baited traps at 5 sites. Culex nigripalpus (77.68%) was the most abundant species, with increases in numbers associated with increased rainfall throughout the study period. Mansonia dyari occurred 0.31% of the time, while Mansonia tittilans occurred 0.54% of the time. These observations suggest that the presence of Pistia stratiotes is not correlated with an increase in the number of Mansonia spp. mosquitoes in a given area. Risk of exposure to mosquito-borne disease, is, in part, determined by the density of questing infected vector mosquitoes. Due to the low number of Mansonia collected during this study, it would appear that Mansonia does not play an important role in supplemental transmission of disease(s) even in areas where larvae may thrive in water lettuce rich habitats. However, a longer study that addresses additional variables (drought, size of water lettuce, wetland chemistry, etc.) would prove to be valuable. In addition, it appears that there is a complex, perhaps competitive, relationship between Pistia stratiotes, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, and Spirodela polyrhiza. After monitoring surface area coverage of the aquatic plants during competition studies, it was noted that both space and nutrients are variables which control species' relative cover. Longer studies that can look at a variety of environmental conditions and test for run off would be of interest.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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