title: Physicochemical Characteristics of Larval Habitat Waters of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Qom Province, Central Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mosquitoes lay eggs in a wide range of habitats with different physicochemical parameters. Ecological data, including physicochemical factors of oviposition sites, play an important role in integrated vector management. Those data help the managers to make the best decision in controlling the aquatic stages of vectors especially using source reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  To study some physicochemical characteristics of larval habitat waters, an investigation was carried out in Qom Province, central Iran, during spring and summer 2008 and 2009. Water samples were collected during larval collection from ten localities. The chemical parameters of water samples were analyzed based on mg/l using standard methods. Water temperature (°C), turbidity (NTU), total dissolved solids (ppm), electrical conductivity (μS/cm), and acidity (pH) were measured using digital testers. Thermotolerant coliforms of water samples were analyzed based on MPN/100ml. Data were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman Correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 371 mosquito larvae were collected including 14 species representing four genera. Some physicochemical parameters of water in Emamzadeh Esmail, Qomrood, Qom City, and Rahjerd showed significant differences among localities (P< 0.05). The physicochemical and microbial parameters did not show any significant differences among different species (P> 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the abundance of larvae and the different physicochemical and microbial parameters (P> 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The means of EC, TDS, and phosphate of localities and species were remarkably higher than those of the previous studies. Other parameters seem to be in the range of other investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abai
authors.affiliation: Qom Provincial Health Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Abedin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saghafipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ladonni
authors.affiliation: Department of Watershed and Rangeland Management, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jesri
authors.affiliation: School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omidi
authors.affiliation: School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahyad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azari-Hamidian
keywords: Anopheles; Culex; Culiseta; Ochlerotatus; larvae; oviposition site