title: Effects of landscape anthropization on mosquito community composition and abundance.
abstract: Anthropogenic landscape transformation has an important effect on vector-borne pathogen transmission. However, the effects of urbanization on mosquito communities are still only poorly known. Here, we evaluate how land-use characteristics are related to the abundance and community composition of mosquitoes in an area with endemic circulation of numerous mosquito-borne pathogens. We collected 340 829 female mosquitoes belonging to 13 species at 45 localities spatially grouped in 15 trios formed by 1 urban, 1 rural and 1 natural area. Mosquito abundance and species richness were greater in natural and rural areas than in urban areas. Environmental factors including land use, vegetation and hydrological characteristics were related to mosquito abundance and community composition. Given the differing competences of each species in pathogen transmission, these results provide valuable information on the transmission potential of mosquito-borne pathogens that will be of great use in public and animal health management by allowing, for instance, the identification of the priority areas for pathogen surveillance and vector control.
authors.affiliation: Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraguti
authors.affiliation: Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
authors.forename: Josué
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez-de la Puente
authors.affiliation: Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roiz
authors.affiliation: CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.|Diputación de Huelva, Área de Medio Ambiente, Servicio de Control de Mosquitos, Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soriguer
authors.affiliation: Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Figuerola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D058448:Biota; D009033:Culicidae / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors; D013030:Spain; D014507:Urbanization